Carnahan clears way for Nixon
Democrat Robin Carnahan, who has been toying with jumping into the governor’s race, just took her name out of the running and will seek re-election as secretary of state instead.
In a statement released tonight, Carnahan said: “After careful consideration over the past several days, I have made the decision to run for re-election as Secretary of State.
“Democrats have a great opportunity to change the direction of our state and refocus on issues that matter to Missouri families. I intend to work to help elect Democrats at every level including doing all I can to help Jay Nixon become our next Governor. “
Carnahan began weighing the governor’s race last week, after Gov. Matt Blunt suddenly dropped his re-election bid. His move sparked a free-for-all on the Republican side, with three statewide officeholders jumping into the contest.
Some Democrats wanted Carnahan to get into the race to give Democrats a choice, but others said the party should unite behind Attorney General Nixon, who has been campaigning for the post for several years.
“We have a candidate that the party has united behind,” said Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, R-St. Louis. “We’re in the best spot possible to take back the governor’s office, but we don’t need a primary.”
Coleman added that not all St. Louis officials agree. Nixon’s record on the St. Louis schools desegregation case is a sore spot in the African-American community.
“That’s, unfortunately, Jay’s legacy,” Coleman said. She saw the split when she talked politics with seven St. Louis aldermen who were in the capital Wednesday to testify on local control of the police department.
“Some felt there should be a choice” in the race, she said. “Others felt party unity was more important.”
Tony Wyche, Carnahan’s spokesman, said Wednesday morning that a lot of people had contacted Carnahan and and urged her to consider the race.
Asked whether certain groups were pushing her, Wyche said: “I don’t know the identity of everyone that’s called but it’s a wide swath of people.”
[...] State Democratic Party chairman John Temporiti is heralding Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s decision not to challenge Attorney General Jay Nixon for governor. [...]