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McCaskill attempts to paint herself in the political center, Akin disagrees

Chris McDaniel
/
Beyond November

Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill  doubled her efforts to portray herself as a political centrist.  She released a new ad Friday titled "Fifty," referring to the National Journal's ranking of senators from most liberal to conservative. McCaskill was ranked in the middle at 50.  

But she also doesn't deny she has stood by the President -- a president who will have a tough time winning the state of Missouri.

"People in Missouri know I've supported the President. And they know I continue to support the President," McCaskill said. "But I think they also know that I'm strong enough to let the President know that he should go fly a kite if I think he's wrong. And I think if he were here, he would tell you that she can really be a pain in the you-know-what."

McCaskill's opponent, Todd Akin, says he wouldn't describe McCaskill as a centrist.

"I'm not sure how they did the rating, but I do know how often she voted with Barack Obama," Akin said.  Akin also pointed to her "F" ratings from the NRA and the National Right to Life Foundation, a pro-life organization. "That doesn't suggest she's a moderate."

Follow Chris McDaniel on Twitter@csmcdaniel

  • See more stories on issues and elections from St. Louis Public Radio, the St. Louis Beacon and Nine Network of Public Media at BeyondNovember.org.