More proof that jobs are the big issue in the gubernatorial campaign:

The Missouri Democratic Party is blasting Republican Rep. Kenny Hulshof for his vote in May 2000 to grant permanent normal trade relations to China.

In a conference call with reporters today, a group of Democratic legislators blamed the trade deal for the loss of jobs at plants across the state, from Rolla to St. Joseph to Farmington to Ste. Genevieve.

In the St. Louis area, Sen. Rita Days, D-Bel-Nor, singled out the closing of the Federal-Mogul Corp. plant as a “devastating” result of the congressman’s vote.

“Not many of the families there can pick up and move to China and get these jobs,” Days said.

Democrats cited a study by the Economic Policy Institute, which estimated that 45,400 Missouri jobs were lost or displaced due to trade with China.

Asked whether some of these jobs would have gone to China anyway, given cheaper labor costs, Democrats said that by passing the permanent trade deal, the U.S. lost the leverage it had when annual renewals were required.

Hulshof “was in charge of getting us a good deal,” said Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence.

Hulshof’s spokesman, Scott Baker, responded in an e-mail:

“Kenny believes that American workers can compete with any in the world, as long as the playing field is level,” Baker said. “Instead of offering endless criticisms, it’d be refreshing if Jay Nixon actually offered a new idea for a change.”