The 4th District Senate primary race is a real conundrum. There are essentially four contenders: state Rep. Yaphett El-Amin, state Rep. Amber Boykins, Derio Gambaro and Jeff Smith. (A fifth candidate, Kenny Jones, is only relevant because of his potential spoiler role. What a pity to see a once————serious politician reduced to such a level.) With the exception of the term-limited incumbent, state Senator Pat Dougherty, the 4th District has been served by an African American since Ted McNeal became the first black to be elected to ———the Missouri Senate in 1960.
Socially conservative Gambaro, who served in the Missouri House, has been able to attract generous financial support from Republicans. In addition to his substantive South Side political base, he also enjoys an informal GOP push for him in this primary because of his positions against abortion and for limited stem cell research. (No Republican has filed.)
Jeff Smith, an intrepid, vigorous campaigner who has taken his door-to-door efforts into the district’s North Side, nearly won the Democratic primary to succeed Congressman Dick Gephardt two years ago, in another hard-fought contest marked by highly successful fundraising and organizing. After his defeat by Russ Carnahan, he left the state but has returned to seek the 4th District Senate seat. He has commendable outspoken, progressive views on national issues, but has little familiarity and practical experience with this district, which is still mostly black.
The two major African-American candidates are Boykins, who is term-limited in the House, and El-Amin. While both have a base of political support, El-Amin has waged a far more vigorous campaign and will field a formidable, well-organized organization on election day. In addition, she has shown a willingness to work hard on behalf of her constituents. She has been a tireless critic of the egregious GOP Medicaid cuts and scandalous Voter ID Bill. We do have reservations about her flirtations with the GOP-brokered school voucher program that seeks to siphon off tax dollars at the expense of public schools.
The role of senator in the 33-member upper chamber offers many opportunities to move beyond serving as a spokesperson to influence major change. We respect Boykins and her service as an elected official, but we think El-Amin has been a more forceful candidate who has demonstrated that she has the will and energy necessary to be an effective advocate for the community. We strongly endorse Yaphett El-Amin for the Missouri Senate.
With many Democrats pandering to the center to appeal to fence-sitting Republicans, state Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal is a refreshing throwback – a brashly and unabashedly progressive legislator. She has shown moments of immaturity in her first term, and she took a major political risk in vocally taking sides in a bitter mayoral race in the middle of campaign season. But Missouri needs her courage and her intelligent, insistent voice, especially on divisive issues such as school vouchers (which she opposes) and progressive immigration reform (which she supports). We strongly endorse Maria Chappelle-Nadal for state representative in the 72nd District.
State Rep. Esther Haywood is a time-tested public servant, with 18 years of service on the Normandy school board to her credit in addition to her six years in the Legislature. There would be no reason for anyone in her district to oppose her, other than the dubious (and wealthy) school voucher movement, which has thrown up a challenger. We strongly endorse Esther Haywood for state representative in the 71st District.
State Rep. John Bowman’s progressive voting record has been underscored by the vigorous leadership he has brought to the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus after his recent election as its new chairman. We strongly endorse John Bowman for state representative in the 70th District.
State Rep. Jeannette Mott-Oxford has proven herself as a boldly progressive legislator and an example for others. We endorse Jeannette Mott-Oxford for state representative in the 59th District.
State Rep. Juanita-Head Walton also has served her constituents ably since her election in 2000 and deserves to complete her eligible number of terms in the Legislature. We endorse Juanita-Head Walton for state representative in the 81st District.
Despite his well-intentioned but misguided support of school vouchers and a limited ability to work constructively with other black legislators, we endorse Rodney Hubbard for state representative in the 58th District.
License Collector Greg F.X. Daly and Alderman Michael McMillan stand unopposed in their respective races, but their mutual support is noteworthy as a gesture of cooperation between black and white, North City and South City. We endorse Greg F.X. Daly for collector of revenue and Michael McMillan for license collector for the city of St. Louis.
Voters in University City have the opportunity to approve a fourth-of-a-cent tax on retail sales in University City to fund a set of needed improvements in the city’s infrastructure. It’s a good idea. We endorse a vote of Yes on Proposition U in U. City.