FIREBAUGH GIVEN DEMOCRATIC NOD IN 8TH ELECTION

Emily Firebaugh was chosen Thursday by 8th District Democrats to be their candidate in the congressional district special election Nov. 5. She will face Jo Ann Emerson, the Republicans' choice.

A special election was called by Gov. Mel Carnahan to complete U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson's term in office after he died of lung cancer June 22. The special election will coincide with the Nov. 5 general election in which Firebaugh is the Democratic candidate.

The winner of the special election will be sworn in immediately as the 8th District representative and will hold the office until January. If Firebaugh or Emerson, who is also on the general election ballot as an independent, wins both the general and special elections she will serve out the unexpired term and serve the two-year term that begins in January. She would be considered the senior representative of the freshman class in Congress because of the two additional months in office.

Firebaugh was the only nominee at the Democratic meeting Thursday night at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. Her name was put before voters by fellow Farmington resident Tom Ray; Steve Sokoloff of Kennett seconded the nomination.

"Tom asked if he could nominate me because we're both from Farmington," Firebaugh said after the vote.

Firebaugh accepted the nomination and said the endorsement shows the Democratic Party has "confidence in this campaign with me as your candidate."

"Your support is very vital and very important to us," she said. "With this new responsibility that I have been gifted with this evening, I will work doubly hard to show you that the Democratic Party is truly the party of the working family in the 8th Congressional District."

Firebaugh said the nomination was the latest in a series of momentum builders for her campaign. It comes on the heals of President Clinton's support at a rally in Cape Girardeau a week ago.

"It was such an honor to have the president, the vice president and once again, the governor endorse this campaign," she said. "To have this confirmed by the United States president was very reassuring for the voters in this district."

Firebaugh said the strength of the Democratic ticket in Missouri will help as she works to keep the campaign between herself, Emerson and Republican candidate Richard Kline centered on the issues.

"The other things that are important in the campaign are just to make sure that we listen to the issues and keep focused on what the people are truly interested in, and not get into personality in this campaign," she said. "There are too many issues out there, and issues of election, that are very important. So we're staying on target with those."