ST. LOUIS •-The Democrats of Ward 23 have long held their meetings at the Police Officers Association hall on Hampton Avenue. Union brass even gave them keys to the place.

Then, late last month, the Democratic group was barred from the building. Barred, too, were the neighborhood association and the ward's alderman.

Why?

The ward's Democrats had endorsed Joe Keaveny for state Senate.

The police officers are championing Jim Long in the 4th Senate District, which covers the western half of the city of St. Louis.

And the beef over the use of the police hall is just one concrete example of the divide between the candidates.

A former securities lawyer for US Bank, Keaveny was appointed to the post by Democratic leaders last year, after Jeff Smith resigned in the face of federal charges over a political cover-up.

Keaveny is the pick of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and much of the city's political and business establishment, and he has raised the cash to prove it. Keaveny has openly worked to turn control of the city Police Department — now run by a state-appointed board — over to city leaders.

Moreover, as the mayor's man, Keaveny also represents the growing rift between the city and its firefighters, who are angry at City Hall for targeting their pension funds this past month to help balance the budget.

Long, on the other hand, is a retired St. Louis Police sergeant and former chairman of the police pension board. He's the choice of many police officers and firefighters, as well as the city teachers union.

Keaveny, 53, has raised $164,000, nearly triple Long's $56,000.

Long, 59, said that, if elected, he will seek a return of the elected board for St. Louis Public Schools and support a move to phase out charter schools, saying they take money from the district.

Keaveny said he would look to lower the mandatory kindergarten age from 7 to 5 and reform payday loan laws, which he feels are used to prey on some consumers.

The candidate who wins Tuesday's Democratic primary will win the seat; no Republican has filed.

The primary race is not the only contest of interest to city voters.

The election for St. Louis circuit clerk has begun to heat up.

Incumbent Mariano Favazza, 57, of south St. Louis, says the race is about keeping the clerk's position an elected office. Challenger Jane Schweitzer, 57, of St. Louis Hills, says it's about working with the circuit court judges to run an efficient court system.

Favazza has long fought with the judges over hiring and firing court staff. In February, he lost a suit to hold on to his staff authority, and appealed. He says the judges are trying to erode his authority and eventually turn the position into an appointed one.

Schweitzer said she's not sure whether it shouldn't be an appointed one, if the circuit clerk can't get along with the judges. "We need a clerk who works with the judges instead of suing them," she said.

Schweitzer's campaign has raised $50,000 to Favazza's $15,000.