Could Lager’s anti-urban ad haunt his bid for treasurer?
The Arch City Chronicle had an interesting item this week, posting past campaign literature from State Sen. Brad Lager, who recently announced that he will be running for state treasurer.
The piece from the young Republican, who represents northwest Missouri, takes something of an anti-urban posture.
“When St. Louis and Kansas City special interests threaten our way of life,” the piece reads, “we need a senator who will fight for us.”
As the Chronicle points out, it’s a standard strategy in Show-Me politics: An “Us v. Them” appeal to rural voters.
And it’s not just rural legislators who take that stance: Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, a St. Louis resident, irked Mayor Francis Slay a few years back by running an ad out-state that slammed the new Busch Stadium.
Lager’s folksy pitch might play in Peoria - but will it hurt him in Chesterfield?
As the presidential primaries show, suburban counties like St. Louis and St. Charles go a long way toward determining the winner statewide. Sure, the demographics there are different than the city itself, but many local suburban voters identify more with Soulard than soybeans.
Though current Treasurer Sarah Steelman has sought to frame her bid for governor with a heartland charm - the kick-off was at her brother’s kitchen in Springfield - she has not shied away from the cities.
I recall meeting Steelman at a downtown fundraiser hosted by developer John Steffen. She’s also been a friend of housing tax credits, a vital tool for city redevelopment.
As Lager looks for inroads - and probably campaign dollars - from supporters in Kansas City and St. Louis, it will be interesting to see if he tweaks his presentation.
Meanwhile, one of Lager’s potential Democratic rivals, Creve Coeur lawyer Andria Simckes, is already seeking to shore up the urban vote - she was at City Hall today, pressing flesh at the Board of Aldermen meeting.
Lager’s Senate ad, with a hat tip to the Arch City Chronicle
Oh, gee… and just how many votes was Lager likely to get out of the city of St. Louis? 3? 4?
As opposed to Simckes who NEEDS the city, and a good turnout there, to have a chance.
Jake: no issue… go have (another) beer at the Missouri Bar and Grill.
What we need within the Missouri legislature is an urban caucus, consisting of both senators and reps from the counties of Jackson, St. Louis and St. Louis City, Dems and Republicans.
Too often the needs of these areas suffer due to a lack of relevance to the urban districts. Everybody from outstate enjoys the shopping, sports and cultural institutions that these areas offer (and the tourist dollars they pump into the coffers), but somehow they have a problem paying for the needs of urban and suburban communities. Our police, schools and highways go begging.
A bloc of urban and suburban votes would help see to it that our needs are fulfilled. It would be a welcome change from the treatment we currently receive from the Springfield cabal.
Is theis the Brad Lager who was the House budget chair when Blunt cut medicaid, and voted for all the cuts?
This is a perfect example of the same old fight between out state and the cities. We need a candidate who understands the concerns of working families and business through out the entire. May Scheve Reardon has the experience do to just that. Represent the real working people of Missouri. Focusing on out state and the intercity is one thing, but we need a candidate who can serve the entire state. As a former State Rep May fought for the people of this state on such issues like jobs, heatlhcare, and education. Today with her background as a private banker she is a great fit to be the next state treasurer for the whole state.
To SC Democrat,
Are you kidding me?? May Scheve? The person who oversaw the slaughter of the democratic party a few years ago??You have got to be kidding me. Talk about a retread…
No, it is time for new blood, new faces and new ideas.The Obama phenomenon should be proof enough to anyone that nobody wants to see her resurrection.
I don’t often agree with tsquare at #1, but I do here. If this is all that Lager said while campaigning for his Senate seat a while ago, it’s a non-issue in a statewide campaign.
The problem for Lager is that this is not just what he said, this is actually how he feels. As someone who has tried lobbying the man, I find him arrogant and brash. He will have a hard time in a statewide campaign if he does not have the ‘other’ (i.e. urban) to trash.
Jake, as a side note I am wondering if this opens the door to Jim Whorton (democrat in the house third district who is term limited) a chance to run for this senate seat. Jim is a democrat in an area that polls 60% republican and he might be able to pull off this upset. That would be a major win for the dems in the senate.
Richard,
This only opens the seat up for Whorton to run if Lager wins. If Lager somehow fails to win, he will still hold his seat in the Senate until he is up for re-election in 2010.
Brad Lager for Treasurer?
What a joke
-Fired as House Budget chair for incompetence and a desire to screw KC and STL
-Botched revenue estimates a la Bob Holden
And to think he wants to follow in his footsteps as Treasurer