CARNAHAN: READY FOR BATTLE

Gov. Mel Carnahan shook up his staff this past week, announcing that Chief of Staff Marc Farinella will be leaving the government payroll to begin private political consulting. Foremost among his clients will be the incumbent governor, together with several other statewide Democratic officeholders. Farinella is the brainy, workaholic New Jersey native who came to Missouri approximately four years ago and engineered Carnahan's successful 1992 campaign, restoring the governor's mansion to Democratic control for the first time since 1980. Many observers believe that Farinella is among those who have pushed Carnahan toward the more liberal proposals that have marked his first four years in office, especially his push for a state version of the Clinton health care plan.

Taking Farinella's place as chief of staff in the musical-chairs routine within the governor's office will be Southeast Missouri State University graduate Roy Temple, a native of Puxico in Stoddard County. The 31-year-old Temple, one of whose first campaign jobs was for two-time Democratic congressional nominee Wayne Cryts, had been deputy chief of staff since Carnahan took office in 1993. Temple -- sometimes called "Roy Temper" for his explosive outbursts in capitol hallways -- is one of two Puxico natives in the office, the other being press secretary Chris Sifford. Sifford remains in the job he has held for nearly three years.

These changes, together with other staff moves Gov. Carnahan announced this week, signal a serious move toward assembling an able campaign team for next year's elections. Look for more such moves as the governor attempts to become only the second Democratic governor to win consecutive terms since Warren Hearnes first accomplished the feat in 1968.