NO REGRETS: FIREBAUGH PLANS TO KEEP DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE STRONG IN THE 8TH DISTRICT

FARMINGTON -- Emily Firebaugh doesn't dwell on the past.

The Farmington Democrat failed in her first election campaign to win a seat in Congress. But she remains an optimist.

"I have no regrets," she said last week from her Farmington home.

She said she plans to return to running her Madison County timber business. "My timber business has been neglected. I will go back in and restructure that," she said.

She and her husband, Robert, operate several other businesses and own commercial property in the Farmington area.

She ran her 8th District campaign with five paid staff members. All five received severance pay after the Nov. 5 election and left to find new jobs.

But even in defeat, there is work that must be done to close out a campaign.

She and her campaign treasurer are finishing up the final campaign finance reports that must be sent to the Federal Election Commission.

There are final campaign contributions that must be accounted for. Firebaugh said some people mailed in contributions that weren't received until after the election.

Firebaugh also is telephoning and writing supporters to thank them for their help.

She is hard at work closing up the campaign office, disposing of computers, phones, and copy and fax machines.

She plans to toss most of her campaign signs. But one sign she'll keep.

"I had the staff sign one of the big signs. Everybody wrote notes on it; I'll mount that some place," she said.

A former newspaper publisher, the 54-year-old Firebaugh said she would love to get back into the news business. "I have never gotten the ink out of my blood."

But she said most of the newspapers in Farmington and the surrounding area are owned by large corporations that don't want to sell them.

Firebaugh said her first venture in politics has taught her just how important it is for a candidate to raise a lot of money.

She said candidates for major offices spend much of their time raising money.

Firebaugh raised and spent about $600,000. But she was outspent by the winning candidate, Republican Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau.

Emerson succeeds her late husband, Bill Emerson, who died of lung cancer in June.

It is estimated that the Firebaugh and Emerson campaigns spent about $1.4 million in the 8th District congressional race.

"You set up an office to raise half a million dollars in hopes of going out of business," Firebaugh said. "Only you hope to go out of business as a winner."

Firebaugh personally obtained a $100,000 bank loan in June. The loan is due Nov. 25. She said she can and will repay the loan.

"I had always invested in other candidates," she said. "I felt very confident in investing in my campaign."

Firebaugh said the nation needs campaign finance reform. But she doesn't believe in publicly funded campaigns. "Unfortunately, I don't see a quick fix to it without infringing on freedom of speech, which needs to be protected," Firebaugh said.

She credits her candidacy as the reason that Emerson wants to open a congressional district office in St. Francois County, which is Firebaugh's home county.

When Firebaugh entered the political arena this year, she discovered there wasn't an effective Democratic 8th District organization to draw on.

"We had to create an entirely new Democratic structure for this congressional race," she said.

Firebaugh hopes to nurture the organization and keep it going. "We formed too good a structure to let it be lost," she said.

She hasn't ruled out running again in two years.

Even if she never runs again for office, Firebaugh said she will continue to take an interest in civic affairs and efforts to improve the region.

When Firebaugh filed for office, it was assumed she would be running against Bill Emerson. He had filed for re-election.

But when he died in June, Firebaugh's political stock rose. Democratic Party people then jumped on board.

She said money from political action committees flowed her way after Bill Emerson died.

She said President Clinton's visit to Cape Girardeau in late August jump started her campaign.

Firebaugh feels she competed well in the district. She won eight of the 26 counties in the sprawling district and narrowly missed winning a ninth county.

"I really enjoyed the campaign," she said, "even though being a candidate is exhausting mentally and physically.

"I truly enjoyed being out there, talking with the people."