Coleman Conference
Backed by city Dems and other notable polls, Senate Minority Leader Maida Colman kicked off her campaign Tuesday at the swanky Missouri Athletic Club.
During her speech, during questions and in a brief interview afterwards, Coleman focused on what she saw as her strengths and her vision of the race ahead.
Coleman is certainly aware of the question on many poll-watchers' lips, "What is she doing?" In reference, of course, to the often referred to facts that she is an african-american woman from St. Louis with a history of financial issues and no experience in the area of auditing or accounting and little by way of campaign finances so far.
Despite her position as Senate Minority Leader, she is not a well-known name around the state so fundraising and voter education will be a major drain on her time (not that it isn't always). Being up against another woman who has a CPA, a J.D., the unofficial nod from McCaskill, and just loaned herself $500,000, does not put Coleman in the best position.
She did appear ready for a challenge. Noting that she has two fundraisers this week alone, she took a little jab at her opponent, Susan Montee's, full bank account saying, "I don't have the personal wealth to be a self-funded candidate."
Note: Sorry this entry is up so late (and it's a long one, click below for more), I was busy finishing an article for the next edition of the ACC due out next Tuesday! Matthew
While the personal bankruptcy issue is difficult and the geography may play against her, it will likely be the experience issue that hurts her the most. But she pushed past it saying the Auditor doesn't just sit and run numbers, but runs a large office that needs guidance.
"My role is similar to my role as Senate Minority Leader, to lead," said Coleman.
As to how she would view her role as Auditor she said she didn't want it to be a game of "gotcha", but a chance to offer solutions. Coleman suggested that solutions are where the challenges are saying, "there are only so many ways you can look at a person's books."
Coleman wants to challenge the conventional wisdom in state-wide races. She didn't see race as a real factor in state-wide elections and believed that the voters needed to be given more credit to chose based on issues rather than race and geography.
Coleman cited her first days in Jeff City when she asked to be put on the Agriculture Committee, surprising some lawmakers, because she wanted to better understand out-state issues and offer a different perspective. She wanted to reach out and bridge the gap between the urban and out-state lawmakers.
"We expect there to be a division," said Coleman. "Why should we assume it?"
Coleman's personal story will appeal to a lot of people. A single mom with three kids who tries to overcome financial woes and becomes a successful politician. How many voters in Missouri are one bad situation away from bankruptcy?
Her ideas about taking a new look at breaking conventional wisdom re: state-wide offices are not particularly ground-breaking, but they are untested. She seems like she is ready to strap herself into the machine and go.
The problem is that the machine runs on money. If donors don't feel secure, they may not donate. Confused speculation among the press as to why she is running won't help.
Lending their support on the stage at the press conference in addition to Mayor Slay were Ald, OL Shelton (4th), License Collector Greg Daly, Rep. Robin Wright Jones (St. Louis), Rev. Earl Nance, Circuit Clerk Mariano Favazza, Rep. Amber Boykins (St. Louis) and Tim Hogan, Coleman's Treasurer.
Update: City Dems seem positive about Coleman's race. Mayor Slay heartily endorsed Coleman at the press conference saying he trusted her to look out for St. Louis' interests in Jefferson City where she has shown she is a true leader. Slay said he was putting his, "personal, moral and [his] political support," behind Coleman. Circuit Clerk Mariano Favazza was overheard saying, "Why can't she? Why can't she?" in response to a question, presumably about Coleman's chances.
Wonderful for Maida. Lets check out the Ethics Commission reports later to see if the usual suspects with her on stage ponied up any personal funds AND any campaign contributions from political acounts they control. Maida having two fundraising events this week seems she is facing up to reality as long as they result in real $. Honestly, sounds like Maida has phoned Amtrack to arrange a trainwreck "down the track". Whether its in August or November is anyones guess..
Meanwhile, Sen John Loudon has another fundraiser in West County.
I find it obnoxious that the white boys running the party, like Cardetti, are secretly trying to ruin Maida because she's too black to get elected. Go, Maida, go!
Posted by DW on Wed., Nov 30, 2005 at 8:28 AMLooking back to the very abbreviated endorsement by the Mayor's Desk, back when Postie Wagman's dirt hit the newsstands, I unfortunately think Maida's support will be rather lukewarm, even in her backyard.
It appears many white Dems will be endorsing Maida out of hometown obligation, while others will likely contribute towards this cloaked GOTV-strategy.
Maida is a strong political leader. But lacking a strong financial background, she should be running for US Senate, not Auditor. And since both are state-wide races, crossover voters would be needed to win either race. Thus, I wish party leaders hadn't treated Maida like Wheat.
But obviously, Claire was pushed towards a candidacy that national money would support. Perhaps a sad reality, but if so, Claire should then be helping Maida, not Montee, in the race to succeed her.
Posted by Brian on Wed., Nov 30, 2005 at 8:42 AMI updated the story to add Mayor Slay's endorsement and Circuit Clerk Favazza's support.
Posted by Matthew Murphy on Wed., Nov 30, 2005 at 11:52 AMIf Talent is so beatable, why was Coleman not backed for US Senate? Is our state party still rural-conservative when our party's base is clearly within the more progressive urbanized areas of our state?
If folks think Coleman can't win a state-wide contest like US Senator, then why would she do any better for Auditor?
Personally, I think Coleman can win state-wide, but her experience makes her a better candidate for US Senator than MO Auditor. Swing voters will rightfully question Maida's financial experience, hindering her Auditor chances, when her proven leadership would have had greater appeal in the US Senate race.
And times have changed since Alan Wheat, as evident in Charlie Dooley. A passionate Senate candidate with a strong base like Maida could have defeated her Chesterfield opponent.
But alas, MO Dems, like the DLC, have been giving up on passionate candidates for their flawed run-to-the-middle strategy. Well, given how centrist Dems have lost state-wide races, it's not working. Fo US Senate, Missouri has again backed losing Claire over a potential Obama in Maida Coleman.
As a result, Maida may narrowly win in the primary due to partisan votes, but lose in the general when swing votes will count. And if Coleman can't even win the primary, this cloaked GOTV-strategy of our "MO-DLC" won't even have an impact on the general election. Indeed, it could backfire on minority turnout needed by Claire, when facing Talent.
So, in the end, Maida and Claire may easily both lose, when Claire could have had an easy re-election, while Maida could have been Missouri's own Barack Obama, not our another Alan Wheat. But even when they lose yet again, MO Dem leaders likely still won't learn to abandon their lackluster centrist strategy.
Posted by Brian on Thu., Dec 1, 2005 at 8:45 AM"Is our state [Democratic] party still rural-conservative when our party's base is clearly within the more progressive urbanized areas of our state?"
Yes.
The same also applies to the Republican Party (except for the "more progressive urbanized base" part.
Posted by St Louis Oracle on Thu., Dec 1, 2005 at 10:28 AMWhat the heck is "progressive urbanized?" Oracle is correct. This entire state is based on a rural -urban split. Not just politics. Look at funding of education -- both elementary/secondary and higher. Trust me, the urban schools are lobbying against the rural districts on a yearly basis. Just like the various segments of the state lobby for transportation projects (urban vs. rural). Always has been two Missouris, always will be.The difference now is that Republicans claim the rural title; it wasn't all that long ago that Democrats were the voice of the rural area -- certainly, that was the case in my area of Southeast Missouri. But while partisan politics is cyclical, the politics of geography (urban vs. rural) is not.
Yes, there was always an urban-rural split. But previously, both parties had such splits within them, not between them. Indeed, when the Dems had state control, the Dixiecrats among them from SE-MO and other areas, meant that many urban issues were overlooked even then.
And Buck, progressive urbananized areas are places of any density across Missouri and the US that increasingly form the Urban Archipelago, with the previously purple suburbs at its edges increasingly leaning more blue.
Posted by Brian on Mon., Dec 5, 2005 at 10:31 AM
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