Five and five: that’s how many Democrats and Republicans have announced for Hulshof’s seat.

On the Republican side, Brock (“I not only was a football player…I was in social studies class as well…”) Olivo may not have the best chance, but he’s better known nationally–thanks to Daily Kos and Keith Olbermann–than the other four. Said Olbermann: “So going to class is so rare for a college football player, he can try to run for congress based on it?!”

At least Olivo is now known, if not exactly in the way he’d like to be. Dan Bisir, on the other hand,is nothing more than a collection of eight letters of the alphabet. Every website that mentions his entry into the race follows his name with “a political unknown.” All I know about him is that he’s from St. Peters.

Two of the others are state reps: Bob Onder (Lake St. Louis)and Danie Moore (Fulton). Onder has lined up Rod Jetton, who’ll be termed out this year and is going into political consulting, to advise him on his campaign. Also announced but not yet filed is Blaine Luetkemeyer, Missouri’s Director of Tourism. He is a former state representative who lost the Republican primary for state treasurer in 2004.  

Lots of hot air about stopping illegal immigration from these three.

On the D side, we have Judy Baker, a state rep from Columbia, who had announced her intention to challenge Hulshof before he withdrew; Steve Gaw, former speaker of the Missouri House; Lyndon Bode (BO-Dee)–pictured at left, the Presiding Commissioner of Marion County; Jeff Schaeperkoetter, a former state rep, state senator, circuit judge, and–until recently–attorney in Jay Nixon’s office; and Ken Jacob (announced but not yet filed), who represented parts of Columbia as a state rep and state senator for almost 22 years and who is currently the chief counsel for state Auditor Susan Montee.

The videos below are courtesy of Politics Blog in Columbia. The first is of Judy Baker. Just listen to a little of it and then sample Danie Moore’s. Sheesh. I’m told that Ms. Moore is a genuinely nice, though misguided, person. But “nice” doesn’t excuse inane. She sounds like a sincere housewife who would cluck over every story about a rapist and ignore the way the power brokers are enriching Big Oil and Big Pharma at the expense of the people in Fulton.

Baker, on the other hand, is articulate. She may be as knowledgeable on health care issues as anyone in the legislature. Nor is she a “moderate” (anti-abortion) Democrat–despite the fact that her husband is a Baptist minister.

Schaeperkoetter is the “moderate” (anti-abortion) Democrat in the race. He’s had a history of success, I must say, with the “moderate” stance in Republican leaning Franklin and Gasconade counties since 1980. The year when Reagan swept into power and helped lots of Republicans into our state legislature, Schaeperkoetter beat a Republican incumbent. But his video doesn’t tell me much about his beliefs beyond being anti-abortion. He talks about being able to win south of the Missouri River and the abortion issue.

Steve Gaw, who lost the Secretary of State race to Matt Blunt in 2000, lists these accomplishments from his years on the legislature:

· sponsoring tax cuts for middle class families-including the legislation that eliminated taxes on groceries;

· proposing legislation to create Missouri’s “DO NOT CALL” list, one of the first in the nation;

· fighting for the development of ethanol plants in rural Missouri;

· establishing Missouri’s sex offender registry;

· ushering in an new era of ethics after scandal had rocked the Capitol;

· implementing improvements in education, like a program focusing students on the fundamentals of reading and arithmetic;

· creating new opportunities for Missourians to continue their education at the vocational/technical, junior college, and university levels.

Lyndon Bode, as a county commissioner, is understandably preoccupied with infrastructure. If he wound up in D.C., he’d make sure the government spent money to repair our bridges and roads. Nothing wrong with that, except it’s … limited.

As for the so far “unfiled” candidate, Ken Jacob, he touts his years of fighting the neoconservatives in the state legislature.

Earlier in the decade, Jacob rose to be Senate Minority Leader. He had fairly public clashes during his tenure with the Republican majority, filibustering so long that he said he still has pain in his feet.

Jacob, who got trounced by Bekki Cook in the 2004 primary for Lieutenant Governor, maintains that even though he lost that statewide contest, he’d have a solid basis for this race if the people who voted for him in 2004 do the same thing this year.

Video of Judy Baker:

Steve Gaw: Click on this link and scroll down to the video on the right side of the screen.