The 2012 Missouri Democratic primary was a big night for black political power in St. Louis, as African Americans won bitterly contested primaries at the federal, state and city levels.
Incumbent 1st Congressional District U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay thrashed challenger Russ Carnahan by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, 57,580 (63.2 percent) to 30,895 (33.9 percent).
(All vote totals are unofficial results from the Missouri Secretary of State.)
Jamilah Nasheed was successful in her challenge to incumbent Robin Wright-Jones in Missouri’s 5th Senatorial District, despite a white progressive opponent, Jeanette Mott Oxford. Nasheed won 8,249 votes (40.5 percent), with Wright-Jones surprisingly coming in second with 6,176 votes (30.3 percent) and Mott Oxford trailing with 5,945 (29.2 percent).
In the city Treasurer’s race, Tishaura O. Jones won with 13,817 votes (34.9 percent), soundly beating Fred Wessels with 10,411 votes (26.3 percent), Jeffrey Boyd with 10,092 votes (25.5 percent) and Brian Wahby with 5,250 (13.3 percent).
Michael Butler also beat Martin Casas in the 79th State House seat vacated by Jones to run for Treasurer, 2,957 votes (62 percent) to 1,816 votes (38 percent).
However, Vernon Betts – the African-American challenger – lost to incumbent lost to incumbent Sheriff Jim Murphy, though by a close margin, 17,213 votes (46.2 percent) to 16,336 votes (43.8 percent) in a race where the Post-Dispatch said Murphy had no serious challenger.
Also, first-time candidate Redditt Hudson was beaten soundly by veteran state rep Gina Walsh in the race for the 13th Senatorial District, 13,733 votes (63.6 percent) to 7,854 votes (36.4 percent).
