8th District election pits incumbent against farmer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- When U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson first ran for Congress in 1996, she had no idea she would stay long enough to seek a fifth term.

"It was not something I planned to do with my life. On the other hand, I feel really strongly about my responsibility as a member of Congress and love what I do," said Emerson, a Cape Girardeau Republican.

Democrat Dean Henderson of Peace Valley describes himself as a simple farmer who never intended to jump into the political game. He became so disturbed by what he views as the growing corporate ownership of the federal government, however, that he felt compelled to take action.

"I want to show hard work can trump big money," Henderson said. "That's my biggest motivation for wanting to win this."

However, Henderson faces heavy odds in his effort to unseat the well-financed and politically established Emerson in Missouri's 8th Congressional District. Libertarian Stan Cuff of Poplar Bluff and Constitution Party candidate Leonard Davidson of Salem are also seeking the seat.

Operating on a shoestring budget, Henderson's strategy has been to crisscross the expansive 28-county district, which includes Southeast Missouri, to meet face to face with voters.

"Our effort is to go to a town a day and knock on as many doors as we can," Henderson said.

Henderson, 39, farms in Howell County on the 8th District's western side. He grew up in South Dakota and holds a master's degree in environmental studies from the University of Montana.

His platform consists of four major planks: opposition to open trade agreements, repeal of the Patriot Act, the immediate end of the war in Iraq and universal health coverage.

He labeled the Patriot Act, enacted with the intent of combating terrorism, as a "draconian and un-American" expansion of police powers that violates citizens' constitutional right and said the decision to invade Iraq was a mistake.

Emerson, 54, has been a leader of the movement in Congress to reduce the rising cost of prescription drugs. She broke with her party to be a vocal opponent of a provision that prohibits the government from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to secure lower prices under the new federal drug benefit for the elderly.

"There is no excuse -- none whatsoever -- that we should not be doing that," Emerson said.

She also supports the reimportation of less expensive drugs from Canada, encouraging more competition in the pharmaceutical industry to help lower prices and easing restrictions that require nursing homes to discard drugs that are still good.

As a boost to the rural economy, Emerson wants to continue efforts to normalize relations with Cuba, lifting trade and travel bans in order to open the country's markets to American agricultural goods.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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