What a raving nutbag. The 2nd District had the opportunity to be a hotly contested campaign, although a slim one, and that has just evaporated. How embarrassing for us all.

And for thomaslknapp, this lunatic won because he did not talk to voters. I guarantee that none of the people who pulled the lever for Bill Haas every met him or even knew one of his positions. In fact, I wish he would have campaigned because then he would not have won.

This proves is you spend 30 years being a lunatic on TV you can win a multi-candidate primary in a district where no one is paying attention nor thinks it is a winnable race.

What is this world coming to when people feel they can run for office in a district in which they do not reside! I agree with the person who said people probably went by name recognition. Shame on the Post-Dispatch for not profiling this race more. There should have been more media coverage of the candidates. The P-D did not endorse a candidate in this race, apparently feeling this was not important. The P-D used to make an endorsement for every contested primary race but this year it was just the statewide races and District 9. Not likely Haas would have gotten the P-D’s endorsement. The only decent candidate(Pentland)ended up in 2nd. Pentland canvassed the district heavily the past several months–his website even listed every event he did on each day. There needs to be a change which would require residency in the district for a minium time PRIOR to an election, so that people cannot just jump to a district right before filing time. Two of the candidates were basically outsiders–Haas, Delear. Frankly, I’m surprised there were 5 Dems running since the seat was not an open seat. I think that and the weather took votes from Pentland, who should have won this race. He was the only Dem who was pro-life, so either people didn’t take the time to read about all candidates or this district has done an about-face and switched from right-wing pro life to left-wing pro-choice.

ramsfan410,

You write:

“What is this world coming to when people feel they can run for office in a district in which they do not reside!”

The Constitution sets the qualification for election to the US House of Representatives; one need only be a resident of the state which one represents. In the past, some states haven’t had geographical districts at all, they’ve just elected all their congresspersons “at large.”

There are a number of good arguments against geographical districting. It encourages gerrymandering by the majority party (to preserve its power) or by both major parties (to preserve a mutually beneficial — to the parties, not necessarily the people — status quo). It encourages pork-barrel politics in which congresspersons buy votes by delivering public works, government contracts, etc. to their districts, whether doing so serves the greater national interest the Congress allegedly exists to address or not.

Even if we assume that people who live in the same geographic area necessarily have shared interests, I live closer to (for example) Kirkwood and St. Charles than a hypothetical candidate from the far corner of Lincoln County (which is also in the 2nd District) does. How does an imaginary line drawn on the ground by the legislature magically make that hypothetical candidate more acquainted with the voters of Kirkwood and St. Charles than I am?

While I’m admittedly the longest shot in the world to win the election in November, if I do so I will not be going to Washington to represent sectional/geographical interests, I’ll be going to Washington to support implementing a set of policy proposals that I will have described as honestly as possible to the district’s voters beforehand and that they will have signaled their support for with their votes. At least, I HOPE that the majority of voters will vote based on the candidates’ approaches to policy, not on the candidates’ street addresses.

Best regards,
Tom Knapp
Libertarian for US House
http://www.tomknappforcongress.com

I think it’s great a candidate for office uses the Internet to reach people, it shows he/she wants to be more in touch with what people think. Proud Dem, you don’t get it. This is 2008, not 1968. The Internet has cut drastically into free media and print. I’m glad that Akin gets opposition because he’s pretty lame, but Bill, please run somewhat of an organized campaign. The Don Quixote approach won’t work in the 2nd district. I was a resident of it for many years. Redistricting actually put a part of Olive west of 270 in Clay’s district. Unbelieveable. We’ll never see Lacy appear in Creve Coeur.

I was thoroughly disheartened to see a boob like Haas win the ticket. Much to his chagrin and to my disfortune, I used to work with him. Leopards don’t change their spots, and dirty old men don’t change their habits. I would never approve of someone of his ethical character to be anywhere near the halls of congress. I just wish more voting citizens could know that about his personal constitution (or complete lack thereof).

I have heard people describe the results of this primary as shocking, unbelievable,and jaw dropping. How can a candidate who “put up 500 signs the week before” feel as if he did anything to win this seat? A real candidate works his district. Only three of the candidates did and all three did it differently. Pentland has the grassroots approach and had solid citizens supporting him financially and a strong volunteer campaign staff. Delear financed himself, God help the fool who didn’t follow the 3 rules mentioned above, had the support of the liberal women, and used billboards, the internet and TV as his way of reaching the citizens. Garman got the support of the AFL-CIO which unfortunately did not show up for him through the campaign or at the voting booth. In my humble view John Temporiti should be held responsible for not taking control. He stood behind Storch to influence that race but allowed this seat to be lost to Akin without a fight. The Post also should be held accountable. Why was there no coverage? This was our window of opportunity and all we have to show for it is a Wal-Mart greeter. The voters for Haas and Hogan should be ashamed of their ignorance and held responsible for us having to endure 2 more years of Akin.

So you think Ralph Nader won….here’s a teensy fact for you….he did NOT win the election, like you, he only managed to get himself on the ticket. He helped ruined the election results for the Democratic ticket, just as you are doing. Just the fact that you think Nader won is another obvious example of your muddled, sick mind.

Hey lifeafterwalmart, how about posting your real name to lend some credibility to yourself…

What is Saint Louis coming to????
A crazed, suicidal freak up against a well-respected rational gentlemen?

I, for one, do not want a sick individual representing me!!!!

And no more threats from Bill, PLEASE!!

GO BACK TO RIVERFRONT TIMES AND STAY THERE!!!!

The Post-Dispatch needs to alert the St. Louis people how whacked out this Bill Haas person is in life!!

I too worked with him and he is a raving lunatic hornier than anybody I’ve ever met!!

And has all the warts to show for it!

Please Todd AKin, now is your chance to throw this crazed old man to the curb once and for all and maybe he will give his pets away and not advertise on the net how he is going to take their lives with his own messed up life.