PELTS CONCERNED BY WEBSTER'S CANDIDACY

KENNETT - A longtime Bootheel Republican Party leader is expressing concern about the party's candidate for governor, suggesting that William Webster's election would run counter to the reform reputation the Missouri GOP has built over the last 25 years.

Mark Pelts, a 37-year-old Kennett attorney, expressed his concern about the Republican attorney general in a letter dated Tuesday. He sent the letter to about 2,000 people around the state.

Pelts was appointed by Gov. John Ashcroft to a Republican seat on the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents and was one of five Republicans named to the State Senatorial Redistricting Commission last year.

"Those of us who are truly interested in good, honest government cannot, in good conscience, support the candidacy of someone who appears to be at the heart of the biggest government scandal in recent Missouri history," wrote Pelts.

"Republicans are too responsible to deliver this state to someone who has so blatantly used the powers of his office to reward campaign contributors and benefit his political friends. To allow such a perversion of our party's ideals to occur, would dishonor the efforts of Missouri Republicans over the last 25 years."

Pelts warns that "if Webster wins, Republicans will spend the next four years apologizing for the dishonest, sorry government we created."

In his letter, Pelts does not mention the Democratic candidate for governor, Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan. Contacted at his law office Thursday, Pelts said he plans to support Carnahan.

"Mel's name is not specifically mentioned because it is kind of an appeal to Republicans about the mess we've gotten ourselves in with the governor's race," said Pelts. "But on the other hand, I have a Mel Carnahan sticker on the front of my Blazer and on back of my Blazer. I support him wholeheartedly. I think he will be a good governor; this is a case where the choice is very clear."

Pelts contends that Carnahan has the kind of leadership skills to build on the foundation laid the last eight years by Ashcroft in squeezing dollars and getting the best bang for the buck.

"Mel Carnahan and I don't agree about everything, but we do agree about ethics," Pelts observed.

Pelts makes no secret that he was a staunch supporter of Secretary of State Roy Blunt in the Republican primary for governor and accepts the fact that some will consider him a sorry loser. That's fine with Pelts, who points out that he has impeccable GOP credentials.

Although he comes from a family of Democrats, Pelts explained that he was drawn to the Republican Party in 1968 when John Danforth ran for attorney general in a reform effort that would become the re-birth of the party in Missouri.

"It was kind of exciting. We were the reform party stamping out clean-cut, smart, morally upright, ethically strong candidates. It made politics exciting and we turned out a great group of candidates. I was a Blunt supporter because Roy was more of what we've had. He was a clean-cut all-American guy. But those days are over," observed Pelts.

"With Webster getting this nomination, the reformers have lost control of the Republican Party. Those days are over. We're now the dark side of politics. That's sad for me to say, but it's very, very true."

Pelts said one thing Webster's supporters won't say is that "I'm not a loyal Republican. I'm very partisan, but I like to think every now and then I can lay down that partisanship and do what's right."

Pelts was a regional coordinator for Ashcroft in 1984 and 1988 and has been a coordinator for Republican Sen. Christopher Bond. In 1984, then Gov. Bond appointed Pelts Dunklin County prosecutor after Steve Sharp was elected state senator.

Regent appointments are usually given to individuals who have been loyal to the governor, especially when they are of the same party as the governor.

Pelts' appointment to the redistricting commission indicates a high regard for him by fellow Republicans. The Democratic and Republican state committees each nominated 10 people to draw the new Senate districts last year and the governor chose five from each party.

Eventually the commission deadlocked and the plan was drawn by a panel of appeals court judges.

"I don't have anything personal against Bill Webster," said Pelts. "He doesn't have the view of government that I do. I believe if you are going to be involved in government, you should do what's best for government at every turn - personal gain and political gain is not supposed to be important."

Pelts contends the Second Injury Fund issue is an embarrassment to the party, and he is angry that Webster skipped the Missouri Bar Association convention last week. "Most people don't understand the fund, but lawyers do and he skipped their convention," said Pelts.

Pelts stressed that he does not think his letter to Republican friends will lead to a big revolt against Webster, but said it was something he felt he needed to do.

"I don't want to spend the next four years apologizing and saying, `gee, I'm sorry. I should have done something,'" said Pelts.

"I think privately a lot of Republicans have expressed the same feelings I do. I'm burning a lot of bridges with this, and a lot of them are smart enough not to burn those bridges. But I don't earn my living from politics. I'm kind of in a unique position to say and do as I please," added Pelts.

"Some (Republicans) feel Bill Webster is a friend and don't know what to do. I respect the way they feel. But I think the Republicans have gotten ourselves into a hell of a mess. We've got a guy running for governor with problems that just spring up daily."