McCaskill bid could bolster GOP hopes for state auditor

Candidate's own party hopes she'll switch her plans for 2006 election.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- For months the Missouri Democratic Party has been actively trying to convince State Auditor Claire McCaskill to drop her re-election plans and instead mount a bid for the U.S. Senate.

Many Democrats see McCaskill as the party's best hope for unseating incumbent U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, a Republican. If McCaskill decides to take on Talent, however, it could leave the GOP in a better position to secure the auditor's seat.

The Capitol rumor mill has been virtually silent as to what Democrat might fill McCaskill's spot on the ballot for auditor if needed. Missouri Democratic Party spokesman Jack Cardetti declined to speculate on possible candidates since McCaskill hasn't made a decision about challenging Talent. Cardetti did say the party is hopeful McCaskill will run for the Senate.

"Absolutely, we'd love to see Claire run, and we are hearing from a lot of Missourians who are excited about her taking on Jim Talent," Cardetti said.

After losing to Republican Matt Blunt in last year's governor's race, McCaskill said she was committed to seeking a third term as auditor in 2006. In recent weeks, however, she has acknowledged interest in running for the Senate.

Raising campaign funds

The fact that McCaskill's campaign committee for state auditor has raised very little money is seen as a sign she is leaning toward a Senate bid. Candidates are legally prohibited from transferring funds between campaigns for state and federal office.

McCaskill barely won the auditor's office in 1998 with 50.3 percent of the vote. However, she coasted to an easy re-election bid with 60 percent support over nominal Republican opposition in 2002.

If McCaskill pursues a higher office, Missouri Republican Party spokesman John Hancock said that would change the dynamic of the state auditor's race by stripping Democrats of the advantage of incumbency.

"Certainly, the auditor's race would be very much in play," Hancock said. "I think Jim Talent is going to win the Senate race, and if you have a strong incumbent at the top of the ticket, the Republican candidate should be helped greatly in the auditor's race."

Until this year, Democrats held five of the six statewide elected executive branch offices. Those posts currently are evenly split between the two major parties.

So far two St. Louis County Republicans have announced their intention to seek the auditor's post -- state Sen. John Louden of Ballwin and state Rep. Jack Jackson of Wildwood.

Jackson, a retired Marine Corps colonel and former test pilot for Boeing, was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2002. Louden, a small business owner, served six years in the House before winning a Senate seat in 2000.

If McCaskill steps aside, Hancock said it is possible other Republican candidates with greater statewide influence and name recognition could step forward.

"We already have two outstanding Republicans in that race," Hancock said. "There could be more."

Whether Democrats end up having to find a fallback candidate for the U.S. Senate or a hopeful to replace McCaskill as auditor, they will have to do so soon so the candidate can begin raising sufficient funds to be competitive.

"That is something that obviously will have to happen fairly quickly," Cardetti said. "But we are not at all worried that 16 months out from the election that time is running out."

mpowers@semissourian.com

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