Lt. Gov. Kinder wins Mo.'s Republican primary

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder turned back a couple of primary challengers Tuesday as state Rep. Sam Page led a field of six Democrats for the right to take him on in November.

Page had about 35 percent of the vote -- nearly double his closest competitor -- with about one-fourth of precincts reporting results.

Kinder had no trouble defeating a pair of lesser-known candidates who filed against him in the Republican primary.

"I've been out there for four years with Missourians all across the state and am gratified and humbled by the vote of confidence tonight," Kinder said in an interview from Jefferson City. "I'll continue working flat out, seven days a week for the fall campaign."

Democrats faced a greater challenge in building name recognition throughout the state.

Page led in cash and endorsements heading into Tuesday's primary and was the only Democrat who mounted much of a traditional campaign by traveling the state and broadcasting ads.

Page was endorsed by all three of Missouri's living former Democratic lieutenant governors -- Roger Wilson, Joe Maxwell and Kenneth Rothman.

As the election drew near, Page and Kinder increasingly focused on each other -- despite the fact that they appeared on separate primary ballots.

Page, a physician from suburban St. Louis, has made the restoration of the Republican-led 2005 Medicaid cuts one of his top priorities, pledging to use the state's No. 2 executive office as a bully pulpit for that cause.

In radio ads, he linked Kinder to Republican Gov. Matt Blunt by decrying the "Blunt-Kinder health-care cuts."

Kinder, of Cape Girardeau, countered with radio ads urging people not to vote for Page. In one radio clip, Kinder compared Page to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde -- dubbing him "Mr. Hide" while asserting Page missed 284 votes during his six years in the House and backed some Medicaid cuts while supporting an increase in the Medicaid reimbursements paid to doctors.

Among the others in the Democratic race was attorney Michael Carter, who estimated he made 15 million to 20 million automated phone calls to potential voters. He was hoping the name recognition would outweigh any annoyance.