Mike Roberts Jr. may not have the support of party leaders, but that has not stopped him from going all out to unseat incumbent State Rep. Rachel Storch in next month’s Democratic primary.

Roberts — who is using much of his own money for campaign funding — has sent out a series of mailers that Storch claims are misleading.

In one piece, Roberts says Storch “voted against state healthcare programs while receiving health insurance paid for by you.” Storch actually voted against legislation that contained the Medicaid cuts opposed by members of her party.

For instance, one vote cited by Roberts in the piece is an appropriations bill that every single state representative from the city – Tom Villa, Jamila Nasheed, Rodney Hubbard, Connie Johnson, Robin Wright-Jones, Mike Daus, Jeanette Mott Oxford, T.D. El-Amin and Michele Kratky — also voted against.

Roberts is framing the fight as a proxy battle between presidential rivals. Another piece sent to voters features a picture of Roberts with Barack Obama.

Storch was the state director for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, though, in a show of party unity, she introduced Obama at a fundraiser he had here after shoring up the nomination.

As Jo Mannies reported last month, Missouri Democratic Party chairman John Temporiti, wary of a contentious primary at a time when Democrats are focused on regaining control in Jefferson City and the White House, urged Roberts to drop out of the race.

Roberts rejected the entreaty, and, since then, has intensified his pursuit of Stroch’s seat, which includes the area around Forest Park and some of University City.

If nothing else, Roberts has shown that he is not afraid to buck party orthodoxy — and not one to go quietly.