By Tom Weber, KWMU / AP
St. Louis, MO – The ballots are now mostly set for the August primary in Missouri. One exception is in the race for state Auditor, where candidates can still file until the end of business on Friday. That's because the deadline for filing in that race was extended Tuesday after some last-minute political jockeying.
As the deadline to file approached Tuesday afternoon, Platte County Auditor Sandra Thomas became the fifth Republican to file in the race for state Auditor. People who file on the first day of filing are put on the ballot in a lottery, but after that first day candidates are added as they file. The last person to file appears last on the ballot, a spot some candidates believe gains voters' attention.
After Thomas filed, fellow Republican John Loudon withdrew from the race, but quickly refiled, to claim the coveted last ballot spot for himself. Both candidates withdrew and refiled again, with Loudon winning the contest again. But under state law, a candidate's late withdrawal automatically extends the filing period by three days.
As it stands now, the five Republicans running are (in ballot order): State Representatives Jack Jackson and Mark Wright; Al Hanson, who was the GOP nominee for Auditor four years ago; Thomas; and Loudon, a current state Senator.
The last day of filing is usually a last burst of activity, with candidates sometimes waiting to get that last spot on the ballot. In the race for U.S. Senate, Scott Babbitt of St. Joseph filed to run as a Republican. He'll face incumbent Jim Talent, along with Isaiah Hair, Joyce Lea, and Roxie Fausnaught in the GOP primary.
A number of other candidates filed Tuesday on the last day of filing. They include:
- Former St. Louis School Board member Bill Haas, who will challenge 58th District State Representative Rodney Hubbard in the Democratic Primary. The 58th district is in St. Louis City, stretching from the Central West End east and northeast to the Mississippi River.
- Jim Frisella, who filed to challenge U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan in the Democratic primary in Missouri's Third Congressional District. Frisella coached high school and college soccer for many years and was inducted in the St. Louis Old Time Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001.
- Kevin McNatt, who filed to run for state Representative as the only Democrat in the 12th District, which lies in St. Charles County. He'll face Republican Doug Funderburk in the race to replace state Representative Sherman Parker, who is not running again so he can instead challenge Congressman Todd Akin in the Second District GOP Primary.
- Kevin Babcock filed as the only Libertarian candidate in the 59th District, which is in south St. Louis City. Babcock was the Libertarian nominee for Congress two years ago in the Third District, gaining 1.6% of the vote. (Russ Carnahan won the seat). Just Monday, Mark Rice filed as a Democrat to challenge incumbent Jeanette Mott Oxford in the 59th.
- Herman Larry Buie Sr. filed to challenge state Representative John Bowman in the Democratic Primary in the 70th District, which covers part of north St. Louis County.
- Suzanne O'Sullivan filed as the only Republican in the 73rd District, which includes parts of Clayton, Richmond Heights, Brentwood, Maplewood and Webster Groves. She'll face incumbent Democrat Margaret Donnelly, who faces no opposition in the primary.
- Adam Schwadron filed as the only Republican in the 82nd District. He'll face incumbent Democrat Sam Page in the general election; Page faces no opposition in the primary. The 82nd District covers west St. Louis County.
- Marty Ott filed as the only Democrat in the 86th District, which covers part of west St. Louis County. She'll face incumbent Republican Jane Cunningham, who has no opposition in the primary.
- Daniel Cohen filed to face fellow Democrat James Trout in the primary in the 91st District. The winner facing incumbent Republican Kathlyn Fares in the general election. The 91st District is in south St. Louis County and includes part of Glendale, Oakland, Webster Groves, Shrewsbury, and Marlborough.
- In the 92nd District, two Democrats filed on the last day: Beverly White and Joyce Guard. A third Democrat who previously filed is William Pinkston, with the winner facing the winner of the Republican primary. That races features incumbent Charles Portwood and Rob Pennell. The 92nd District is in west St. Louis County.
- Judi Parker filed to run as a Democrat in the 95th District. She'll face Paul Green in the primary with the winner facing incumbent Republican Jim Avery.
In St. Louis City, there were a few last-minute filings as well for citywide races. License Collector Greg F.X. Daly is vying to become Collector of Revenue. He was until Monday the only candidate in the race; he now has two oppponents. Cate Sauve will challenge Daly in the Democratic primary, with the winner facing Audrey Ruiz-Smith, a Green Party candidate, in the general election.
Pat Herod is the only Republican running for a city office. Herod filed to run for License Collector, where Alderman Mike McMillan will face Ken Griffey in the Democratic primary.
Recorder of Deeds Sharon Quigley Carpenter also picked up an opponent, Green candidate Jerry McCaleb.
In St. Louis County, no one filed on the last day, meaning Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch and First District Councilwoman Hazel Erby are guaranteed re-election. Neither have opponents.
County Executive Charlie Dooley will face Charlotte Meshell and Carl Johnson in the Democratic primary, with the winner facing Republican Joe Passanise and Libertarian Ted Brown.