In a race that lots of folks are watching: State Rep. Connie L. Johnson entered the fray late today in the 5th District Senate contest.
Johnson joins two other colleagues in the State House - Rodney Hubbard and Robin Wright-Jones - who are also vying for the seat.
But, no doubt, many Democrats are relieved that a fourth state rep, Tom Villa, did not enter the race. Party leaders were hearing that had Villa entered the race - and benefited from a split black electorate - that a backlash might have followed from African-American Democrats in the city.
A Villa victory would have meant no black senators representing St. Louis in the capital.
Without Villa, the campaign eschews some of those racial politics for what could be a bare-knuckle contest fought close to the ground: All three candidates have long coveted moving up the legislative ladder to Senate.
Johnson: Enters Senate race