Keaveny’s staying in Senate race — and voting for himself
Keaveny
ST. LOUIS — Earlier, I speculated that 28th Ward Committeeman Joe Keaveny may back out of his push to replace Jeff Smith in the State Senate race now that neighbor Rachel Storch had entered the running.
That’s not the case, Keaveny told me Tuesday.
In fact, Keaveny has a distinct advantage in getting the 28th Ward’s vote — he is the 28th Ward vote, at least half of it.
Party committeemen, like Keaveny, and committeewoman in the Fourth District will later this month select the nominee to run in the Nov. 3 special election to replace Smith, who left after pleading guilty to lying to the feds.
Barring a tectonic shift in St. Louis politics, the Democratic nominee will be the winner of that race.
Keaveny, who ran for School Board several years ago, says he plans to cast his portion of the 28th Ward’s vote for himself when the nominating panel convenes. He is not supporting Storch, a 28th Ward resident who has represented the area in the State House since 2005.
“I’m 52 years old. The kids are grown up and out of the house,” Keaveny said. “Maybe now is the time to do something that I really want to do.”
For the moment, there is no sense that the party is unifying as it attempts to recover from Smith’s conviction and resignation. Rather, they are scrambling to replace him. In addition to Storch, fellow State Reps. Jamilah Nasheed, T.D. El-Amin and James Morris have been making calls.
Jerryl Christmas, an aide to U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, has also expressed interest.
Jeff Smith endorsed Keaveny in his 2005 school board bid.
http://blog.thecommonspace.org/archives/000268.php
I must say, “I have nothing better to do” is probably the least compelling thing I’ve ever heard from a candidate. Mr. Keaveny surely realizes that if this ends up being a white-black race, as some appear to be making it, that his vote for himself could be the spoiler that takes the race from the brilliant and talented Ms. Storch, and gives it to a buffoon like Jamilah Nasheed or Jimminy Christmas. Frankly, if Mr. Keaveny really does vote for himself, I’d consider that misconduct enough to get rid of him in the next committee election.
So in one race, we have Keaveny voting for himself, and in the other, we have Nelson Mitten voting for his wife, Gina. And the local pundits were worried that “We the People” would become jaded with politics after the Smith/Brown fiasco!
Keaveny is an out of work banking lawyer…..of course he has nothing better to do.
This clown couldn’t win a school board election and know he wants to be a senator. This is a complete joke. He has NO understading of the way Jeff City works as he let Jamilah spank him in a 15th Ward Democratic Committee Meeting.
The committeepeople should NOT violate the will of the voters whom would NEVER choose this clown. Joker wouldn’t even speak at college dems meeting he attended.
Joe do us a favor, enodrse Storch and lets be done with it, you can run for her seat when its vacant.
Hear, hear, CWE. And the same goes for the 73rd. Nelson Mitten’s township endorsed Stacey Newman in the primary last year. She had plenty of support from the voters throughout the district. Given the obvious conflict of interest, it would be an abuse of power for Nelson Mitten to participate in the nomination process. The people have spoken.
When Keaveney ran for school board I believe it was known that he was Slay’s representative though he didn’t advertise that for obvious reasons that it would hurt him, and it did; and Jeff Smith’s support would say alot about where he was on school issues. It is the conventional wisdom everywhere but the Post Dispatch that the Slay people decimated the district during their tenure before people in the know booted them off. Smith has lots of good qualities and will be back one day with a vengeance (presumably, not literally), but education wasn’t one of them. Playing basketball with innercity black youth a condescending stereotype if you’re selling them out on education. Siding with Slay cause he likes you bad, charter schools and merit pay more complicated. But he sided with conservative Democrats and Republicans, so no wonder he was more praised by Republicans than Democrats when he resigned. In the minority as it was, Dems needed and deserved more of a team player. As for Storch, don’t know where her heart is on education. Hopefully in the right place, but may depend on which way wind blowing?
Why did Joe Keaveny decide not to talk to or address any of the Young Democrats membership at all, but he attend the Young Democrats meeting to presumably ask for support? If Joe Keaveny will not speak up when given the chance at a Young Democrats meeting, will he speak up on issues in the State Senate on the floor? A Senator must be willing to speak up when the time presents itself, and when asked to say a few words at the Young Democrats meeting, Joe Keaveny refused to. Many of the Young Democrats were very disappointed by Joe Keaveny’s refusal to address them at their own meeting. Why are you really running Joe Keaveny, other than now “may be the time to do something I really want to do?”
Mayor’s Slay’s ‘endorsement’ of Mr.Keaveny is a disappointment for those of us who wish to see the end of old city politics.
Rachel Storch is the most superb candidate - she knows exactly how Jefferson City works, and she has been their as our Rep.
On balance, Mr. Keaveny brings very little to the table.
If he has ‘nothing’ better to do with his time,since ‘the children are out of the house’, allow him to stay in private life and not destroy the chances for Ms. Starch to serve as Senator.
I have always been a supporter of Mayor Slay. However, his decision to back an unworthy candidate, represents a loss of public trust.
Please expalin in detail why I should vote for you. Thanks. rwc
Please give us details why I should vote for you. Thanks, rwc