Blunt, McCaskill court rural voters at forum

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In their first public forum as official gubernatorial rivals, Democrat Claire McCaskill captured the attention of a rural crowd with her straightforward style, while Republican Matt Blunt connected with crowd members' beliefs on social and moral issues.

McCaskill and Blunt took turns Friday speaking to about 100 members of the political action committees of the Missouri Farm Bureau, a historically powerful political force looking to make an early endorsement for the Nov. 2 general election.

Farm Bureau members endorsed Blunt -- a not-too-stunning result, considering Blunt is a Farm Bureau member and the association had never endorsed a Democrat for statewide office.

McCaskill, who defeated Gov. Bob Holden in Tuesday's Democratic primary with a strong rural showing, said she courted the group to demonstrate her commitment to rural Missourians.

Blunt is currently secretary of state and McCaskill is state auditor.

Both pledged to make government more efficient and the state Department of Transportation more accountable for its highway spending decisions. Both also supported greater tax incentives for ethanol producers.

McCaskill outlined her plan to create a rural ombudsman and stressed her opposition to tax increases. Blunt, who also opposes higher taxes, stressed his support for stricter limits on personal liability lawsuits and workers compensation claims as a way to keep costs down for doctors and businesses.

Blunt said he would have signed either of two "tort reform" proposals vetoed by Holden. McCaskill said she would have vetoed those specific bills, but if elected would work to pass an overhaul of Missouri's litigation system.

The forum also provided a preview of how Blunt intends to make a campaign issue out of his opposition to abortion and gay marriage and his support for gun rights, and how McCaskill would prefer not to talk about those issues.

Sharing values

Blunt highlighted not only his stance on abortion and guns, but also his support of the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, which passed Tuesday with 71 percent of the vote.

"I think Missourians deserve a leader that shares those important values," Blunt said.

The first Farm Bureau member to question McCaskill raised those three issues and questioned whether McCaskill shared the values of rural Missourians.

McCaskill opposed the marriage amendment, because she said an existing state law against gay marriage sufficed. To emphasize her position to the crowd, she repeated three times, "I'm not for gay marriage."

McCaskill said she opposes concealed guns because of the gun violence she saw as Jackson County prosecutor, but supports the gun rights of sportsmen and hunters, recalling her late father's passion for such things. She described herself as "pro-choice," but added she wanted to focus on preventing abortions.

The contentious social issues are a distraction from the complicated problems facing state government, McCaskill said.

"They'd like this discussion to be about those three subjects, because I think that's where they can divide us," she said, referring to Republicans. "I want to talk about the things that can unite us, like better roads, better public school funding."

McCaskill gained some respect for her answers, even from people who disagreed with her.

"I'll support Matt Blunt," said Charles Buckner of Fair Grove, "but if Claire McCaskill gets it, she'll make a good governor."

The Farm Bureau political action committees also endorsed Republican Sen. Kit Bond. His Democratic opponent, State Treasurer Nancy Farmer, did not appear at the forum.