Several sources have told the EYE that State Representative Fred Kratky is not going to be a candidate for Missouri Senator in the state’s 4th district in 2006. According to these sources, Kratky will release a statement soon, possibly this week, announcing his decision not to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Pat Dougherty because of term limits. Kratky’s decision not to run will leave State Representatives Amber Boykins and Yaphett El Amin and Washington University political science professor Jeff Smith as the candidates left in the race.
As the EYE has noted in past columns, established voting patterns in the city of St. Louis do not bode well for two black candidates running against one white candidate in the district, which is estimated to be 60 percent black. This political reality has prompted discussion among several members of the Aldermanic Black Caucus, who are considering establishing a committee that would include some of their members and other community leaders whose purpose would be the formation a “litmus test” that would be used to select the best person to run for the Senate seat among the announced black candidates.
If a committee of this type is formed, it should not restrict the candidates that would be interviewed to the current two self-announced candidates. The EYE has talked to some black elected officials who do not want to support Boykins or El Amin. With the primary election now less that 10 months away, it is time for something to happen if a black candidate is to have a chance to be elected to represent the 4th District.