The Home Stretch

[HAnnA MArin County]

I still like to label the Missouri Senate race as a tossup, although deep down inside me, it disdains me to think that Papa Blunt will probably be our next U.S. Senator. That's all I've seen on the local news waves are his negative ads tying Robin Carnahan to Barack Obama, and I expect them to be quite effective, especially in the rural areas where Obama has never been popular and where the vote will be critical. Southwest Missouri will probably vote by more than two-to-one for Blunt, and I expect the turnout in the Democratic strongholds of Kansas City and St. Louis to be dismal, so while the optimist in me likes to think that Robin can pull it out, the realist in me predicts that Blunt will hold the seat by 3-5 points.

The only other statewide election is for our state auditor. I predict incumbent Susan Montee (D) will win reelection over Tom Schweich (R) by 2-5 points.

U.S. House of Representatives, of course, Jo Ann Gladney/Emerson (R) will win in a landslide, as she always does, although I expect her challenger hottie Tommy Sowers (D) could shave off a few points. She'll still win by anywhere from 65-70 percent of the vote.

No state senate election in my district, and the incumbent state representative (my ditz of a cousin) Shelley Keeney, who served as Rod Jetton's legislative district aide, is running unopposed but won't be getting my vote.

And then we have a few local offices where, of course, I'll vote for the Democrats.