Sowers campaigns for McCaskill in Cape

Sen. Claire McCaskill's campaign hopes the return of a face familiar to Southeast Missouri voters will give her attempt at keeping her seat an extra boost this weekend.

Tommy Sowers, a Democrat who challenged Rep. Jo Ann Emerson for Congress in 2010, is traveling throughout the area over the next few days to stump for fellow Democrat McCaskill. Sowers, best remembered for his fundraising efforts that nearly matched Emerson's and his "boots on the ground" campaign slogan, lost the race when the incumbent congresswoman received 65 percent of the vote.

Friday he was in Cape Girardeau at McCaskill's local campaign office, where he spoke about the senator's efforts to provide better benefits for veterans. Sowers now serves as assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., a post he was nominated for by the Obama administration and introduced for confirmation by McCaskill. He was quick to say he is supporting her campaign in only a personal capacity.

Sowers plans to knock on doors throughout the region over the weekend to encourage voters to choose McCaskill. The senator was campaigning in northwest Missouri on Friday. Her opponent, Republican Rep. Todd Akin, stepped up last minute spending on television ads late this week. A poll released Sunday showed the race tightening, with Akin now about two points behind McCaskill.

Pertinent address:

36 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO