STAPLES TO TRY FOR SENATE FLOOR LEADER

State Sen. Danny Staples has announced plans to seek the No. 2 leadership post in the Missouri Senate.

"I'm running for majority floor leader; I am not quitting the race. I am going all the way to the caucus," said Staples, who ranks seventh in seniority among Democrats in the Senate.

"I have gotten seven votes committed since I started this on Monday morning and expect to have the 11 solid votes locked up that I need by the end of the session.

The post is held by Sen. J.B. "Jet" Banks of St. Louis, who has announced plans to run for president pro tem, the top leadership position in the Senate.

Sen. Jim Mathewson of Sedalia holds that position and has indicated he will seek a fourth two-year term. Also in the pro tem race is Sen. Ed Quick of Kansas City.

Staples acknowledged that something might be worked out between now and the Senate Democratic Caucus, which is held just after the general election to choose party leaders, where Banks might not challenge Mathewson.

But Staples maintained that would have no effect on his candidacy. "Sen. Banks has given me his commitment that he will not be running for re-election as floor leader, regardless," said Staples.

The senator said he has served under three different floor leaders -- Sen. Harry Wiggins of Kansas City, Mathewson and Banks. "All of them have done an excellent job. I think I can do as well as they did," said Staples.

Staples, who was first elected to the Senate in 1982, will first have to win a fourth term to be eligible to run for floor leader. While the senator had promised to run for some office in 1994, he had been holding out on announcing his plans to seek re-election and a leadership post in case U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson decided to retire.

Staples has said he would never run against Emerson, even though the two are of opposite political parties. However, if Emerson retired, the senator said he would immediately announce plans to run for Congress.

By announcing for floor leader, Staples said that means he will remain in the Senate.

Most believe Emerson has decided to seek re-election even though he has not yet announced, but in the event he did announce his retirement Staples would likely abandon his Senate plans for a congressional bid.

This will be Staples' third try for the majority leader job, which controls the schedule and flow of legislation in the 34-member body.

Eight years ago Staples briefly sought the post but withdrew from contention before the caucus; six years ago he ran for the position and lost to Banks.

Staples, who lives in Eminence, represents the 20th District, a long but not very wide district that goes from the Mississippi River to the Arkansas line.