Roe Can Muscle WSJ

I'm impressed, Jeff Roe can get articles placed in the Wall Street Journal for his paying clients.

Let's be honest, the WSJ is very conservative. When Roe got the WSJ to bad-mouth the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan, I knew he had influence. Roe's newest client, Sarah Steelman, got a great write up in the WSJ, too.

So bitter are House Minority Whip Roy Blunt and Sen. Kit Bond at Ms. Steelman's attack on their cherished spending beliefs that last month they rallied the entire Missouri congressional delegation to put out a public statement openly criticizing her campaign against six-term U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof. Joining them in their support of Mr. Hulshof has been the vast majority of the state Republican machine. Ms. Steelman is clearly doing something right.

Her sin is in fact to belong to that new mold of Republican – Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint – who know it's no longer enough to simply hawk lower taxes. In 10 years as a state legislator and treasurer, her target has been the slothful political favor factory that's led Republicans away from small-government principles and outraged conservative voters.

And, oh, the howls of misery. Ms. Steelman's Republican colleagues were livid with her attempt to strip them of comfy pensions, annoyed with her "sunshine law" requiring them to be more open in their dealings, furious at her attacks on their ethanol boondoggles, appalled that she criticized GOP state Speaker Rod Jetton for moonlighting as a paid political consultant. The final straw was her temerity to make her primary race about her opponent's Washington earmarking record.

For Mr. Blunt, this is also just a wee bit personal. His son, Matt, is the outgoing governor, and has been on the receiving end of a few Treasurer Steelman blasts. Last year she stopped payment on a $70,000 secret check his administration cut to settle a sexual harassment suit against an official. Her demand for transparency blew the case into the open, infuriating GOP colleagues.

In the Republican primary, any voter would love this kind of piece. Hate him or just hate him, Jeff Roe can get some great press for his clients.

Steelman Takes on Hulshof's Big Spending

Want to know what real Missouri conservatives hate about Congress - watch Sarah Steelman's latest attack on Congressman Hulshof.



Here's the deal, all this hurts Republicans in the race against Jay Nixon and hurts Congressman Graves in his losing race against Kay Barnes. Steelman and Graves have both hired Jeff Roe (who runs nasty and pretty effective Republican primary campaigns). Roe can't run an ad without mentioning San Francisco. Given the amount of wine he drinks at the Capital Grill, one has to wonder if he is drinking good American wine or the stuff from France (you know, that evil country that gave us Lady Liberty).

Here's my bold predictions - the attack campaign will get Steelman out of the primary, but she loses to Nixon by two points. 6th District voters are sick of Graves/Roe and Graves loses by 1.5 points.

Steelman Attacks Hulsholf for being pro-Viagra

State Treasurer Sara Steelman (R) knows what it takes to be elected state-wide. So, I trust that she knows Republican primary voters, the kind that elect State Senator Matt Bartle in primary fights. Steelman obviously thinks attacking Hulsholf for being for Viagra and "pro-recreational sex" will work. The ad must be focused on some in the religious right community.

Republicans Attacking Republicans

This is Sara Steelman's ad attacking Kenny Hulshof for his wasteful spending in DC. According to Steve Kraske at the Star, Jeff Roe isn't running this ad in N.W. Missouri.

Here's a thought, Jeff Roe ain't making the decisions, Sara Steelman is. She may have determined what Kay Barnes has decided; that the voters in the 6th Congressional District ain't that conservative. She knows what Jeff Roe and Congressman Graves know, that the 6th voted for Claire McCaskill, Susan Montee and stem cell research. Steelman is spending her ad dollars where Republican primary voters live, and that ain't the 6th.

Wait until Hulshof gets attacked for being the only Republican Congressman or woman to vote to require Medicare to pay for Viagra.

Nixon Rocks

Survey USA Poll
General Election:

Jay Nixon (D): 57
Kenny Hulshof (R): 33

Jay Nixon (D): 58
Sarah Steelman (R): 33
(MoE: ±2.5%)

24 Weeks to Election, MO Democrat Nixon Defeats Either GOP Challenger for Governor: In an election for Governor of Missouri today, 05/20/08, 24 weeks to the vote, Democrat Jay Nixon defeats both likely Republican opponents, according to this SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KCTV-TV in Kansas City and KSDK-TV in St. Louis. Today, Nixon, Missouri's Attorney General, defeats Republican Congressman Kenny Hulshof 57% to 33%; Nixon defeats Republican State Treasurer Sarah Steelman 58% to 33%. Against both, Nixon carries all regions of the state and all demographic groups. Against Hulshof, 18% of Republicans cross over to vote for Nixon; against Steelman, 25% of Republicans cross over.

Hulshof v. Steelman

The latest Rasmussen Poll has some great results for Governor-Elect Jay Nixon.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the state finds Nixon leading state Treasurer Sarah Steelman 46% to 35%. Nixon leads Congressman Kenny Hulshof by an even larger margin, 48% to 30%. At the moment, the Presidential race in Missouri looks to be much closer.

In the previous poll of the Governor’s race, Nixon led the state’s incumbent chief executive, Republican Matt Blunt, 47% to 42%. Any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable and Blunt announced earlier this year that he will not seek re-election.

Nixon is viewed favorably by 57% of the state’s voters, unfavorably by 29%. Steelman earns favorable reviews from 47% and unfavorable assessments from 29%. For Holshof, the numbers are 38% favorable, 35% unfavorable.

Here's what we know - there is just about nothing a candidate (Republican or Democrat) can do to reduce negatives. No, I don't think Hillary can improve her negatives. Kenny "Blunt-Lite" Hulshof has wrapped his arms around Matt Blunt. Kenny has not rejected Blunt's position to kick over 100,000 people off Medicaid. Kenny is part of Congress and people generally feel that Congress is ineffective. One has to really wonder what the Republicans are thinking? A fiercely independent State Treasurer or the waterboy?

Give us the waterboy!!!!!