POLITICS: NEUMEYER VOWS CLEAN CAMPAIGN

Tom Neumeyer asserted his pledge to run a clean campaign, without negative comments and in doing so brought up the past record of a consulting firm hired by his opponent as an example.

Neumeyer is running as a Democrat and faces Republican Jason Crowell in the Nov. 7 general election for the vacant seat in the 158th District of the Missouri House of Representatives.

In a statement issued Saturday, Neumeyer said the call for a clean campaign was motivated by negative campaigning elsewhere and by the record of past activity by political consultant David Barklage.

Barklage, president of Strategic Communications Group in Cape Girardeau, was hired by Crowell to plan paid media advertising during the primary and general elections.

"There has been some mean-spiritedness out there and it's coming close to home," Neumeyer said.

He acknowledged that Crowell has run a decent campaign up to this point and expects it to continue. "But there is baggage that he carries," Neumeyer said.

Neumeyer said the problem has been compounded by Republican party spokesman Daryl Duwe comparing the state auditor, a Democrat, to "a cheap hooker."

After being chastised by members of both parties, Duwe sent a formal letter of apology to auditor Claire McCaskill.

Barklage's firm, which represents several GOP candidates in the region, has been focused on Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter.

A recent complaint filed with the Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney alleging that Howard violated financial disclosure laws when he failed to report that he owned a condominium at the Lake of the Ozarks stem from Barklage's firm.

The firm recently announced that the Missouri Republican Party had filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission regarding Howard's reimbursement of telephone expenses.

Barklage said Neumeyer is being insincere in his pledge because he continues to bring up issues unrelated to the local campaign.

"Under the guise of running a clean campaign, he's attempting to poison the waters," Barklage said.

Neumeyer said he wants Crowell to affirm a pledge to operate an honorable campaign without negative accusations. He said schedule conflicts have prevented any conversations so far between the candidates.

Crowell said he has always run an issues-based campaign and welcomes Neumeyer to such a race. "We've been based on the issues from the beginning," he said.

All of his advertising, whether on television, radio or newspaper outlets, has always been positive, Crowell said. "We said that we would not be in the business of name-calling."