WITH OPEN SEAT, RACE FOR 158TH DISTRICT GENERATES HEAT

After nearly two decades with Mary Kasten as their state representative, voters in the 158th District have grown used to low-key -- often nonexistent -- campaigns for the office. A popular and respected legislator, Kasten faced opposition only three times during 18 primary and general elections since 1982.

However, with Kasten's imminent retirement from the General Assembly, a full-blown battle complete with tactics many voters say they find distasteful about the political process is under way in the Republican primary for the seat, which represents most of Cape Girardeau.

Lawyer Jason Crowell, 3rd Ward Councilman Jay Purcell and businessman Stan Wicks are vying for the GOP spot on the November ballot. The winner of Tuesday's primary election will face 2nd Ward Councilman Tom Neumeyer, a Democrat unopposed in the primary.

For example:

* There have been attempts to plant stories in the news media about complaints filed against Purcell, who owns a number of rental properties, and to draw attention to his involvement in a failed attempt to organize a union at Dana Corp.'s Cape Girardeau plant.

* There have been accusations that Crowell doesn't really live in the 158th District.

* A letter from Mayor Al Spradling, a Crowell supporter, suggests Purcell and Wicks have ignored issues related to small businesses.

* The GOP race involves, directly or indirectly, a number persons with ties to the City Council.

* Early on, there was an effort to draw attention to Wicks' felony record and prison time.

In spite of all this, surprisingly little if any has become a real issue. But the accusations and whispering have made for a campaign significantly more lively than what 158th District voters are accustomed to.

At a recent candidate forum, all three Republican hopefuls stuck to the issues and their positions with no personal attacks. Similarly, radio and television advertisements have been issue-oriented.

However, behind-the-scenes campaigning has been less cordial.

Three weeks ago, Nathan D. Cooper, a Jackson-based lawyer and paid Crowell campaign staffer, delivered a thick packet of information to the Southeast Missourian outlining alleged city property-code violations and criminal complaints filed by tenants against Purcell.

Crowell, however, said Thursday he didn't know Cooper was giving the gathered information to local news media. Later, after talking to Cooper, Crowell said he took "full responsibility" for the release of the information.

Cooper said he disseminated the information "on my own accord."

Though the complaints against Purcell are genuine, culled from police reports and other public records, disputes between landlords and tenants are commonplace.

"This is information that needed to be made public," Cooper said. "I apoligize for nothing that is included."

Purcell says the complaints have been resolved with no findings of wrongdoing on his part. He accused people employed by the Crowell campaign of engaging in smear tactics "with no regard to a person's name, reputation or family."

"That is not the way we do politics in Cape Girardeau," Purcell said.

Accompanying Cooper's packet was a letter saying: "Finally, in regards to any future story done on this matter, I do not wish to be quoted or cited in any matter. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance."

Cooper didn't want to talk about why he provided the information about Purcell while simultaneously disassociating himself from it.

Wicks says a "young man" who did not identify himself dropped off an identical packet at his business.

"He just came in, dropped it off and left before anyone knew it was there," Wicks said. "I called Jay and said I had some stuff that belonged to him. I really felt it was none of my business."

Crowell says he didn't intend to wage a negative campaign.

"My campaign is about being positive, about how we can make Cape Girardeau a better place," Crowell said. "I have not been negative this entire race and will not be negative."

Also included in the packet is a sheet that reads "FYI: Jay Purcell was the leading organizer to unionize Dana Corp. He is also the nephew to Bobby Vines, who is the head of the Pipefitters Union that is based in East Prairie."

In Cape Girardeau, affiliation with the labor movement is perceived as mark against a candidate in the eyes of many voters.

Purcell confirms he was involved with -- but did not lead -- the union drive at Dana and that Bobby Vines is his uncle. However, Purcell said his uncle has been retired for 15 to 20 years and doesn't see any relevance in what a relative once did for a living.

"He was the head of the Pipefitters Union 20 years ago," Purcell said.

Meanwhile, Crowell's most recent campaign-finance report shows that he received a $275 donation -- the maximum allowed for a state representative race -- from the Craftsman International Union of Cape Girardeau.

A similar statement about Purcell's union involvement was included with some copies of a letter Mayor Spradling sent to members of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

In his letter, Spradling, who has officially endorsed Crowell and donated financially to his campaign, accused the other candidates of ignoring small business issues by not responding to a candidate questionnaire sent out by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. The state group has endorsed Crowell. The local chamber doesn't endorse candidates.

Wicks, who is running on a pro-business platform, says he turned in his questionnaire, which the Missouri chamber claims it didn't receive.

Spradling is one of several persons, in addition to candidates Purcell and Neumeyer, with ties to the City Council who is active in the race. Richard "Butch" Eggiman, 6th Ward councilman, is Purcell's campaign treasurer. Melvin Kasten, who stepped down from the council in April, is Purcell's campaign chairman.

Mel Kasten is married to retiring state Rep. Mary Kasten, who has pledged not to take sides in the fight to replace her. Representative Kasten, however, appears in television commercials for both Crowell and Purcell.

Purcell said he doesn't believe the race, whatever the outcome, will have a divisive impact on the City Council.

"I will have no bad feelings toward anyone on the council, and that includes the mayor," Purcell said.

Not all of the accusations have been directed toward Purcell. For weeks some, including those aligned with Purcell, have questioned Crowell's residency in the 158th District.

Crowell has been a registered voter in the district continuously since being eligible to vote. He lists his address as 925 N. West End Blvd.

Jim Grebing, a spokesman for Secretary of State Bekki Cook, Missouri's top election official, says Crowell meets the eligibility requirements to run for state representative from the district.

The only indication that Crowell doesn't live in the district is his phone listing, which lists his address as being at his parents' house. Crowell's parents live in the neighboring district represented by state Rep. David Schwab of Jackson. Crowell says the listing is a mistake.

"This is not an issue," Crowell said, noting he is a life-long resident of Cape Girardeau.

So far, Wicks has been relatively unscathed in the heightened campaign barrage.

In June, it was publicly revealed that he was convicted in 1990 of felony driving while intoxicated as a persistent offender. Wicks served two years in prison before being paroled.

However, the potentially fatal revelation was largely defused by Wicks himself. Not only is he candid about his record, he calls it "the best thing that ever happened to me."

Wicks has since gone on to build several successful businesses, is involved in the community and works with current criminal offenders through the local Board of Probation and Parole.

Wicks says he is for stricter laws targeting drunk drivers -- including shock jail time for first offenders -- and strongly supports the department of corrections.