POKIN AROUND: Old, new, borrowed and blue; it's all there on Aug. 5 ballot
Something new? We've got you covered with three St. Charles County men with little or no political experience who are now making a run for Congress.
Something borrowed? State Rep. Bob Onder has loaned his Congressional campaign $250,000.And, finally, something blue?
As they say in Northern Minnesota, you betcha. We've got local boy Tim Swope, who is now blue. He's running unopposed in the Democratic primary for state rep. When he was our St. Charles County sheriff, you might recall, he was red, as in Republican.
In other words, the Aug. 5 primary ballot in St. Charles County has a bit of everything. Of course, the same names will not be on every ballot. It depends on where you live.
Here's a sneak peek at local candidates at the top of the ballot.
Andrew Finkenstadt, of unincorporated St. Charles County, is running for governor. He's unopposed in the Libertarian Party primary.
"I'm interested in giving people a viable choice, rather than the foregone conclusion of Jay Nixon versus Sarah Steelman or Kenny Hulshof," says Finkenstadt, 42, a software engineer at Simutronics Corp. in St. Charles, which makes online computer games.
In general, he says, the Libertarian Party wants less government interference in the daily lives of citizens.
Finkenstadt says he recently received his very first campaign contribution. It was for $50.
"It affected me a lot more than I thought it would," he says. "Now someone is trusting me with money to spend wisely."
I'm guessing you've heard of Republican Onder, 46, of Lake Saint Louis, who was elected to the Missouri House in 2006. He's running for the 9th Congressional District seat now held by Kenny Hulshof, who has his sights on the governor's mansion.
I, for one, am fully aware that Dr. Bob is running for Congress. This week I received a press release stating that Dr. Bob leads the Republican field of five in financial supporters (360) and money raised ($460,000.)
In fact, it seems like I get several e-mails a day from Dr. Bob.
"Dr. Onder's Illegal Immigration Bill Makes America Safer."
"Dr. Onder Announces Pro-Life Initiative."
"Dr. Onder Saves $27 By Using Coupons While Grocery Shopping."
In fact, I know more about Dr. Bob's day than my wife's day.
When City Editor Jamie Quagliata was worried about having enough news to fill the Warrenton paper, I suggested we run a "Dr. Bob Onder page."
Dr. Bob, by the way, is a physician. He also has a law degree.
Lawyer Michael Carter, 36, who has a St. Charles office and lives in O'Fallon, has uniquely distinguished himself from the other five Democrats running for lieutenant governor. You've probably heard from Carter. Back in March he promised (some would say threatened) to make 50 million automated "robo-calls" to Missouri voters before the Aug. 5 primary. But, fear not, he said, he'll spare you if you go to his Web site and sign up on his no-call list.
This week Carter said it's only been 10 million to 20 million robo-calls. Less than 1 percent of recipients have commented on his Web site. Most responses have been hostile, he says.
Why does he do this?
For name recognition. Google "Missouri" and "lieutenant governor," he says, and you're led to Michael Carter. He's chosen the robo-route because, basically, he doesn't have campaign funds.
"I would like to win this campaign from a laptop in my closet," he says.
And what did I receive from Carter this week?
A press release with the headline: "Lieutenant Gov. Candidate, Michael E. Carter, Robo-Calling Millions of Missouri Voters About Anheuser-Busch Buyout."
Two St. Charles County Democrats are among five itching to take on Republican Congressman Todd Akin, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, which includes much of St. Charles County.
Candidate Mike Garman, 54, works in the health care field in diagnostic imaging, His campaign message is simple. If you're unhappy with President George W. Bush, you should be unhappy with Akin, a conservative who often sides with Bush.
Garman has held one elective position; he's on the Board of Directors of the St. Charles County Ambulance District. He ran unopposed.
Garman has a campaign headquarters in St. Peters. He says he's raised $50,000 and spent $48,000.
"If I don't win the primary it doesn't do me any good to have money in the bank," he says.
Garman and his volunteers, so far, have knocked on 10,000 doors, he says. The good news is that - in addition to meeting voters - he's dropped 18 pounds.
John Hogan, 63, of unincorporated St. Charles County, has run for mayor of Overland five times and lost five times. He's run for state senator and lost. He's run against Akin three times and lost three times.
In fact, Hogan is yet to win an elective office. I ask him to assess his chances this time.
"I figure I have a 50/50 chance of getting through the primary because I'm second on the ballot," he says.
He says he's a "roustabout" currently between jobs. When he works, he says, he works as a night auditor at hotels. For many years, he says, he was a bellhop, as was his father. He accepts no campaign contributions and, thus far, has spent $1,000 of his own money on filing fees, his Web site and postage.
His top three issues are expanded health care for children, increased space exploration and continuing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"The Arabs have been at war with us since we recognized Israel in 1948," he says. "And they've been killing Americans ever since every chance they get. We're going to have to stay in Iraq because the Arabs are not going to forget about us. They are not going to leave us alone."
Finally, there's Republican Dan Bisher, who is running for Congress in the 9th District. Bisher has never before run for elective office and plans to spend no more than $5,000.
Bisher, 55, of St. Peters says that in April he retired from his job as a city of St. Peters building inspector to make this inaugural political run.
"I'm like a lot of guys," he says. "I'd sit around with my buddies and talk about things in Washington, D.C., and wonder how they can't get anything done."
Bisher would like to do away with the Internal Revenue Service and start over with a new, flat tax rate for all.
What Congress doesn't need, he says, is another millionaire lawyer. It has enough of those, he says.
"What will $5 a gallon for gas do to a guy who makes $12 an hour?" Bisher says. "I don't truly, truly believe a millionaire lawyer gets that."
With gas at $4, I ask, how does he manage to cover a district that includes 24 counties?
"I ride my Harley," he says.
