DEMOCRATS VISIT CITY TO DRUM UP SUPPORT; CARNAHAN EXPECTS 8TH DISTRICT VOTE

Gov. Mel Carnahan said Saturday he still hasn't reached a decision on whether to schedule a special election for Missouri's 8th Congressional District seat.

But Carnahan said it is very likely that an election will be held and an announcement probably will be made next week.

Carnahan had called for a special election to fill the that opened when U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson died in June. The special election is likely to be scheduled in November.

The governor and a busload of Democratic officeholders and hopefuls were in Cape Girardeau Saturday as part of the "Win '96" Bus Tour, which has been traveling throughout the state to drum up support for the slate.

Joining Carnahan were Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson, Attorney General Jay Nixon, Treasurer Bob Holden, Secretary of State Bekki Cook and Emily Firebaugh and Rick Althaus. Firebaugh last week won the Democratic nomination for 8th District representative and Althaus for Missouri's 27th District senator.

About 100 supporters turned out for the rally in Capaha Park.

Firebaugh promised supporters that if elected she will "show D.C. what it takes for us to have a good life."

Althaus said the Democratic slate has worked for "getting past gridlock" and is made up of "progressive, productive and personable people."

Incumbents pointed to several pieces of legislation and new programs enacted during Missouri's and the nation's Democratic administration.

Wilson urged support for an upcoming amendment to create a Department of Aging "because seniors and their families deserve to be served and not to be run around the rosebush."

The amendment includes a spending cap, he said, and requires coordination between the proposed new department and the state's existing mental health, social services and health departments.

Nixon praised Democrats for "taking mainstream values to Main Streets across the state" for the last four years and pointed to several pieces of anti-crime legislation passed during Carnahan's and his administrations, including the Truth in Sentencing law, Safe Schools Act and the recent juvenile crime bill.

"We are getting traction in the war on crime," he said.

Under Carnahan's administration, he said, no taxes have been collected in the last three years for the state's Second Injury Fund, a savings to taxpayers of $100 million.

Holden pointed to the creation of 275,000 jobs in the state in the last four years as well as economic development programs like Missouri First and the Beginning Farmers program.