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Kinder dropping plans to run for governor, will seek re-election instead

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Nov. 18, 2011 - After spending more than a year laying the groundwork for a gubernatorial bid, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder  announced Friday that he's dropping the idea and running for re-election in 2012 instead.

Kinder also has endorsed St. Louis County businessman Dave Spence, an old college classmate who announced his Republican bid for governor earlier this week.

Kinder's surprise decision comes just days before a kickoff rally had tentatively been planned in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Mo.

In his statement, Kinder doesn't mention why he has changed his political plans, saying only that the shift came after he had kept "his promise to Missourians to travel the state and discuss a potential race for governor..."

"I have worked hard every day to serve all the people of Missouri as their lieutenant governor. Serving as lieutenant governor is a great honor," Kinder wrote. "I have the experience; track-record and desire to continue working in that capacity every day to try achieve needed reforms. Missouri deserves a lieutenant governor committed to reducing government waste, and protecting Missouri taxpayer dollars."

St. Louis businessman Chris McKee, who declared his candidacy for lieutenant governor earlier this week, announced Friday he was dropping out and backing Kinder.

But state Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, is continuing his candidacy for lieutenant governor -- even though he will be challenging the fellow Republican incumbent, Kinder.

Sources say Kinder made his decision within the past couple days, after Spence made it clear he would not withdraw from the governor's race. While confident that he could win a primary against Spence in August, sources say Kinder did not want to have spent all of his campaign money and be broke heading into a short two-month general election battle with Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat who already has more than $4 million in the bank.

Spence plans to spend some of his own money to bankroll his challenge.

Wrote Kinder in his endorsement:

"I believe after numerous conversations with Dave Spence that he is the Republican Party's best chance of defeating Jay Nixon. Dave is a self-made man and proven manager who understands how to create jobs and improve the state's economy. He is smart, serious and has a vision he's shared with me to renew Missouri's greatness. I am proud to call him a friend and will do everything in my power to see that he's elected governor next year."

The Missouri Democratic Party issued a biting statement later this afternoon.

"Jay Nixon's prospects for re-election have never been stronger," said party spokeswoman Caitlin Legacki, listing a series of the governor's achievements. "Meanwhile, the Missouri Republican Party is once again struggling to find a mainstream candidate who is up to the task. It's hard to imagine Republicans uniting around a guy like David Spence, who spent his first three days as a candidate trying to explain his actions overseeing a bank that took a $40 million government bailout and failed to pay the taxpayers back...."

Spence, meanwhile, says he welcomes Kinder's support. "...Having gone through a similar decision-making process with my family, I know firsthand that the decision to run for governor is not an easy one," Spence said in a statement. "Like many Missourians, Peter understands that our state desperately needs a new governor with a fresh perspective who can solve big problems and knows how to create jobs. I look forward to sharing my ideas for job-creation and economic growth with Missourians all across the state in the very near future."

Said the Missouri Republican Party: "Peter Kinder is an outstanding public servant who has always put the hopes and dreams of Missourians ahead of his own political aspirations.  Throughout his career, Peter has successfully championed government reform, and as Lt. Governor, he has been a tireless advocate for senior citizens and veterans.  Over the past several months, Peter has deliberated about how he can best continue to serve the state that he loves, and we respect and support his decision to seek reelection as Lt. Governor."

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Closing Door on a Dream

Kinder long has sought to run for governor, and grudgingly scuttled plans to seek the post in 2008 when then-Gov. Matt Blunt, a fellow Republican, caught his party off-guard by dropping his re-election plans. Party leaders preferred then-U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia, who personally persuaded Kinder to forgo a primary challenge and run for re-election instead.

Hulshof then was trounced by Nixon that fall. Kinder won re-election during a Democratic wave, becoming for a time the only Missouri Republican holding statewide office.

But this year, Kinder's plans to formally declare his 2012 challenge of Nixon kept getting delayed by unflattering publicity. First, there were disclosures about Kinder's hotel stays around the state -- especially in St. Louis -- at taxpayer expense. Many of the stays coincided with political events, although Kinder said his stays were for official business. He subsequently repaid the state.

Kinder's campaign car then was stolen and torched, an incident made embarrassing when Kinder disclosed he had left the keys in the car.

But the worst came in August, when a recent photo emerged of Kinder with a bartender at a now-closed midtown bar that advertised "pantless parties." Kinder then acknowledged that he had an acquaintance with the woman going back two decades, when she was stripper at an East Side adult establishment.

Kinder's announcement that he's going to instead seek a third term as lieutenant governor also tosses a wrench into the plans of several fellow Republicans who have jumped in within the past week, after last week's equally surprising announcement by House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, that he was aborting his own bid for lieutenant governor.

Lager In, Mckee out

Lager announced Monday that he was running for the state's No. 2 office, with St. Louis businessman McKee following suit within hours. State Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, also has publicly declared he's exploring a possible candidacy.

McKee changed his mind on Friday. after Kinder announced that he had changed his. "After talking with my family I have decided to support Peter Kinder for his re-election and not seek the office of Lt. Governor," McKee said.

"I feel I can provide a great deal of experience in creating jobs and helping our economy grow," McKee added. "But Peter Kinder has been a strong leader for Missouri and a friend. I have a strong desire to serve in some capacity for my community and will continue to explore other options."

But Lager told reporter Jason Rosenbaum late Friday that he was remaining in the race, even if it meant challenging Kinder.

Lager said he had always expected that there would be a primary, evern if the rival is Kinder.

"Today's announcement doesn't change that situation," said Lager. "Peter Kinder and I are two very different people. And the electoral process is about telling people who you are, what you believe in, what is your vision and let the people decide. While I personally have not had a chance to talk to Peter yet - and I'm hopeful we can do that in the coming days - the reality is I announced for lieutenant governor because I believe it provided me with an opportunity to continue to work for citizens of this state. And I'm always going to do what is best for the citizens of this state."

Lager added that it was time to put "the people's interest above special interests."

"It's time to start doing what's right for the people and stop worrying about lifelong politicians, their lobbyist friends, their campaign consultants," Lager said. "Because that's the only way we're going to change the trend of Missouri being at the bottom of the nation in job creation and job growth and economic growth you've got to change the status quo."

Asked about Kinder's current financial advantage, Lager said "Peter's announcement doesn't change anything I'm going to do tomorrow morning."

"I'm still going to get up every day, I'm going to work hard, I'm going to share my vision for this state, I'm going to share where I believe we should be taking this state," Lager said. "And if people support that, we're going to raise the resources to get the job done. And if people say, 'listen, we're staying with Peter regardless," well guess what... I'm going to know that too. But this campaign did not end today. My campaign did not end today because of Peter Kinder's announcement.

On the Democratic side, former state Auditor Susan Montee already is running for lieutenant governor, and is stepping down on Saturday as chairman of the state Democratic Party. The second Democrat is Conservation Commissioner Becky Plattner.

Also declared is former Republican legislator Cynthia Davis of O'Fallon, who is running as the Constitution Party candidate.

Kinder will, however, begin his re-election bid with far more money in the bank -- about $1.5 million -- than any potential rivals in either party.

In his announcement, Kinder wrote that he "plans to continue his statewide listening tour throughout all corners of the state of Missouri in the near future."

Freelance writer Jason Rosenbaum contributed information for this article.