D’oh.

“…This doesn’t happen in America, maybe Ohio, but not in America…”

How appropos. Use this a a vice presidential debate open thread.

SurveyUSA released a 705 sample poll of “likely voters” in Missouri on September 25th which was in the field from September 23rd through the 24th. The poll runs head to head match ups in the governor race between Attorney General Jay Nixon (D) and Kenny Hulshof (r) (and the two leading other minor party candidates on the ballot). The margin of error is 3.8%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Missouri voters will also elect a Governor. If the election for Governor were today, would you vote for (choices rotated) Republican Kenny Hulshof? Democrat Jay Nixon? Libertarian Andrew Finkenstadt? Or Constitution Party candidate Gregory Thompson?

All

Kenny Hulshof (R) – 37%

Jay Nixon (D)- 55%

Andrew Finkenstadt (L) – 2%

Gregory Thompson (CP) – 2%

Undecided – 5%

Some of the crosstabs:

Party Affiliation

Democrats [38% of sample]

Kenny Hulshof (R) – 11%

Jay Nixon (D) – 83%

Andrew Finkenstadt (L) – 1%

Gregory Thompson (CP) – 2%

Undecided – 3%

republicans [32% of sample]

Kenny Hulshof (R) – 72%

Jay Nixon (D) – 23%

Andrew Finkenstadt (L) – 1%

Gregory Thompson (CP) – 2%

Undecided – 2%

Independents [23% of sample]

Kenny Hulshof (R) – 34%

Jay Nixon (D) – 49%

Andrew Finkenstadt (L) – 6%

Gregory Thompson (CP) – 2%

Undecided – 9%

Gender

Male [50% of sample]

Kenny Hulshof (R) – 39%

Jay Nixon (D) – 53%

Andrew Finkenstadt (L) – 4%

Gregory Thompson (CP) – 2%

Undecided – 3%

Female [50% of sample]

Kenny Hulshof (R) – 35%

Jay Nixon (D) – 56%

Andrew Finkenstadt (L) – 1%

Gregory Thompson (CP) – 2%

Undecided – 7%

Not much of a gender gap. Then again, when you’re down by 18 points forty or so days out all the “sub-gaps” get subsumed by stark reality.

American Research Group released a poll of 600 “likely” Missouri voters taken from September 11th through the 15th. The margin of error is 4%.

If the general election were being held today between John McCain for president and Sarah Palin for vice president, the Republicans, and Barack Obama for president and Joe Biden for vice president, the Democrats, for whom would you vote – McCain and Palin, Obama and Biden (names rotated), or someone else?

McCain – 50%

Obama – 45%

Other –

Undecided – 5%

We’re going to be seeing a lot of polls in Missouri on the presidential race leading up to the November general election. The good folks at FiveThirtyEight have a nice statistical rating system on pollster introduced error. Just for the purposes of comparison.

On September 12th Rasmussen released a survey of 700 likely voters taken in Missouri on September 11th. The margin of error is 4.5%.

In the governor’s race Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon (D) continues (and has expanded) his lead over Congressman Kenny Hulshof (r):

Nixon – 54%

Huslhof – 39%

Rasmussen continues:

…Nixon is supported by 92% of Democrats and has a 17-point lead among the state’s unaffiliated voters. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans say they will vote for Hulshof.

The Democratic attorney general leads by 23 percentage points among women and six points among men….

Public Policy Polling (PPP) conducted a survey (pdf) from August 13th through August 17th of 750 likely General Election voters in Missouri in which they explored voter preferences in the statewide down ticket November races (Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General). The results were released on August 20th. The margin of error is 3.6%.

We’ve written previously on the presidential head to head numbers and the governor’s race.

Lieutenant Governor:

Q3 The candidates for Lieutenant Governor are Republican Peter Kinder and Democrat Sam Page. If the election was today, who would you vote for?

Kinder/Page

All

Kinder – 48%

Page – 37%

Undecided – 15%

Men

Kinder – 52%

Page – 35%

Undecided – 13%

Women

Kinder – 43%

Page – 39%

Undecided – 17%

Kinder/Page by Party

Democrat

Kinder – 16%

Page – 70%

Undecided – 14%

Republican

Kinder – 82%

Page – 11%

Undecided – 7%

Other

Kinder – 43%

Page – 27%

Undecided – 30%

Sam Page needs to educate those Democratic and “Other” undecideds. That’s going to take a lot of money (and television). Kinder, as the incumbent, appears to have his republican base all sewn up. That is until they start thinking about what’s been going on for the last four years…

Secretary of State:

Hubbard who?

Q4 The candidates for Secretary of State are Democrat Robin Carnahan and Republican Mitch Hubbard. If the election was today, who would you vote for?

Carnahan/Hubbard

All

Carnahan – 49%

Hubbard – 39%

Undecided – 11%

Hubbard Who?

State Treasurer:

Q5 The candidates for State Treasurer are Republican Brad Lager and Democrat Clint Zweifel. If the election was today, who would you vote for?

Lager/Zweifel

All

Lager – 41%

Zweifel – 36%

Undecided – 23%

That’s a significant chunk of undecideds. This will come down to money. 37% of the “Others” (not republican, not Democrat) are undecided.

Attorney General:

Q6 The candidates for Attorney General are Democrat Chris Koster and Republican Mike Gibbons. If the election was today, who would you vote for?

Koster/Gibbons

All

Koster – 42%

Gibbons – 39%

Undecided – 19%

Men

Koster – 41%

Gibbons – 45%

Undecided – 14%

Women

Koster – 43%

Gibbons – 33%

Undecided – 24%

Koster/Gibbons by Party

Democrat

Koster – 71%

Gibbons – 14%

Undecided – 15%

Republican

Koster – 17%

Gibbons – 70%

Undecided – 13%

Other

Koster – 36%

Gibbons – 30%

Undecided – 34%

The numbers for Koster among Democrats are not out of line with the other statewide Democratic candidates. Again, those “Other” undecideds will be an important target group. Television, television, television…  

Public Policy Polling (PPP) conducted a survey (pdf) from August 13th through August 17th of 750 likely General Election voters in Missouri. The results were released on August 20th. The margin of error is 3.6%.

Q1 The candidates for President are Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. If the election was today, who would you vote for?

McCain/Obama

All

McCain – 50%

Obama – 40%

Undecided – 9%

Men

McCain – 53%

Obama – 39%

Undecided – 8%

Women

McCain – 47%

Obama – 42%

Undecided – 11%

The sample appears a bit heavy on republicans – they constitute 38% of the interviews with Democrats  at 37% and “Other” at 24%.

McCain/Obama by Party

Democrat

McCain – 15%

Obama – 78%

Undecided – 8%

Republican

McCain – 87%

Obama – 9%

Undecided – 4%

Other

McCain – 46%

Obama – 33%

Undecided – 21%

Whoa. That’s a huge percentage of undecideds among the “others”.

PPP also ran various statewide races head to head:

Q2 The candidates for Governor are Republican Kenny Hulshof and Democrat Jay Nixon. If the election was today, who would you vote for?

Hulshof/Nixon

All

Hulshof – 42%

Nixon – 48%

Undecided – 11%

Men

Hulshof – 46%

Nixon – 45%

Undecided – 9%

Women

Hulshof – 37%

Nixon – 51%

Undecided – 12%

Hulshof/Nixon by Party

Democrat

Hulshof – 11%

Nixon – 80%

Undecided – 9%

Republican

Hulshof – 76%

Nixon – 18%

Undecided – 6%

Other

Hulshof – 34%

Nixon – 45%

Undecided – 21%

Again, that’s a chunk of undecideds in the “others”.

It’s still “the economy, stupid” among voters:

Q10 I am going to name 7 issues. Which of these is most important to you?

War in Iraq – 15%

Education – 7%

Economy and Jobs – 47%

Taxes – 4%

Moral and Family Values – 13%

Health Care – 8%

Immigration – 5%

Other – 1%

[emphasis added]

The other statewide races are also interesting. It would appear that television is key for those down ticket races.

Obama’s campaign sent an e-mail out yesterday…

Obama for America

Dear

Be the First to Know Barack Obama is about to make one of the most important decisions of this campaign — choosing a running mate.

You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice.

Sign up today to be the first to know:

http://my.barackobama.com/vp

You will receive an email the moment Barack makes his decision, or you can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone.

Once you’ve signed up, please forward this email to your friends, family, and coworkers to let them know about this special opportunity.

No other campaign has done this before. You can be part of this important moment.

Be the first to know who Barack selects as his running mate.

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe

Campaign Manager

Obama for America

…which will get almost everyone started on the speculation:

from TalkLeft

…So, who’s currently in the front seat? Bayh? Sebelius? Kaine?

Or will he get smart and choose Hillary?

from MyDD

…There are many “co-chairs” so that’s not a big deal, but Sebelius is high-profile in the announcement. Unless this is a mighty high head fake, I have to believe that Clinton is not going to be the VP. Is it Sebelius?

The second quarter 2008 campaign finance reports are due today (pdf) at the Missouri Ethics Commission. The transcription elves at our Show Me Progress corporate headquarters will be shifting their attention to sifting through the reports of the candidates for 163 House races, 17 Senate races, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and Attorney General.

As you might imagine, it’s the political research equivalent of trying to take a sip of water from a high pressure fire hose. We’re not going to get every drop all at once. Nor is this task going to be completed within the next twenty-four hours. Please, there are transcription elf labor laws and they could go on strike if we push them too hard.

So, if you’re an aspiring intrepid investigative blogger, especially when it comes to General Assembly races, knock yourself out. Don’t forget to take a look at the “Report Summary”, “Contributions And Loans Received”, “Expenditures And Contributions Made”, and “Supplemental Loan Information”. Our transcription discerning and astute campaign finance research elves will be making a valiant attempt to do so. If you’re inclined to give them a hand, by all means do so…  

Chris Ruggles (D)

Democrat Chris Ruggles filed in late March to take on incumbent republican Brian Yates in the 56th Legislative District which includes the city of Lee’s Summit in Jackson County.

State Representative – District 56

Republican

Brian Yates Lee’s Summit MO 2/26/2008

Democratic

Chris Ruggles Lees Summit MO 3/21/2008

The republican incumbent, Brian Yates, has a record of sorts in the House:

…Rep. Brian Yates, a Republican, serves southeastern Jackson County’s 56th District in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was first elected to the House in November 2002, winning re-election in 2004 and 2006. He is currently serving his third session as the chairman of the House Committee on Insurance Policy.

In addition to his legislative duties, Rep. Yates is a practicing attorney licensed in Missouri and Kansas…

I had the opportunity on Thursday to spend some time talking to Democratic candidate Chris Ruggles in Lee’s Summit:

MB: So, Chris you’re running in the 56th Legislative District against Brian Yates [R].

Chris Ruggles: Yes.

MB: And what made you decide to run?

Chris Ruggles: I don’t like the way he is doing things for Missouri. For example, voting against veterans homes – was a big thing that I didn’t like.

MB: And so this is an actual vote where he…

Chris Ruggles: Yeah.

MB: …voted against establishing a veterans home or funding?

Chris Ruggles: Funding. It wasn’t even that. It was a vote to put on the ballot for us to vote if we wanted to have an eighth cent sales tax. So he didn’t even want the voters to vote for the veterans homes.

MB: So he wanted…so basically it was a vote to effectively kill funding for veterans homes.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah. Basically. That was one thing. Another thing is to…part of our goal is to get Democrats here in Jackson County elected and he has never had an opponent since 2002. And he’s been unchallenged since then….

….Basically, I don’t, I just don’t like the way he votes. And he doesn’t represent me and my views, so.

MB: Could you tell me a little bit about your background?

Chris Ruggles: I grew up here in Jackson County. I went to Fort Osage High School. I graduated in 2001. After that I went to the Navy. I was in the Navy for about three years. I was stationed in San Diego. I did search and rescue. And then I was sent to Hawaii and I was stationed in Hawaii about a year. And I was in a motorcycle accident that paralyzed my right arm…I was discharged after that…I’ve been going to school since then.

I was an Eagle Scout. I did Boy Scouts all through middle school and high school….We were always out in the community…I’m a member of Crown Point Church…

MB: So you come to politics…what actually brought you to your interest in politics?

Chris Ruggles: Ironically, it was Joe. He said, I had him as a professor about, a few years ago, he said, “If you don’t like the way things are going get involved and change things.” And so that’s what I intend to do. So that’s how I got involved.

MB: What do you see as the challenges of the Missouri General Assembly and ways to solve some of those challenges?

Chris Ruggles: Well hopefully it’ll be easier once we get a Democratic majority elected, so. That’s a big challenge. I think that we’re having a hard time passing good bills.  I don’t know if you’ve, I’m sure you have, looked over some of the bills that they’ve passed. But, the ice cream. [laughter] And that’s kind of ridiculous. [laughter]

MB: Though, though it’s hard to be against ice cream.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, okay.

MB: There are other priorities…

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, exactly.

MB: …a little more pressing. What do you see as some of the priorities?

Chris Ruggles: My priorities that I would like to have passed is getting all the people that were cut off of Medicaid back on. Because…I kind of understand why he did that because, I can and I can’t, because he wanted, he said he wanted to get the fraudulent providers off, but I don’t think there was that many to begin with. And so, there’s just too many people, good people, that were affected by that. And, and I know a lot of them. College students. Disabled people…and an elderly friend of mine…was cut off of it.

MB: And how did that affect, how did that affect that person’s life?

Chris Ruggles: Very drastically. She’s having a hard time. She has a terminal disease and so she can’t work. And so, it, it drastically affected her. Because she is, she’s on a fixed income…and she can’t afford all those hospital bills. And so it really, it really hurt her.

MB: Other than Medicaid, what, what other things are priorities for you, things that need to be addressed?

Chris Ruggles: The fact that they made MOHELA just a big empty shell. And there’s nothing in that anymore – is a big problem. I think there’s a big problem when in-state tuition is, for Missouri, are higher that out-of-state tuitions. And I think that we’re going to end up losing a lot of quality people to colleges out of state. And, in turn, lose a lot of jobs because most likely they’re not going to come back to Missouri. I think that’s a big problem, too.

MB: Your, your opponent, you’ve alluded to the fact that he hasn’t had challengers before. He’s well funded? You have an idea where his money comes from?

Chris Ruggles: Lawyers. Insurance companies. Just basically things like that. I think he’s actually getting a lot of money from fitness clubs, because if you look at his bills, he’s sponsoring a lot of things for fitness clubs basically. [laughter]….

…MB: In a sense it’s sort of like special interest legislation?

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, basically. That’s all he’s doing I think.

MB: As you’ve started this campaign, you, you filed relatively late…

Chris Ruggles: Yeah.

MB: …You’ve been, you’ve been getting people that have come on board and decided to help you out. And you’re, you’re planning on a grassroots campaign.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, pretty much. We don’t have a lot of money like he does and therefore we can’t do a lot of things that he can do. So basically, our, the way that I’m going about it is the grassroots campaign. Knocking on doors. Making phone calls. Getting out and talking to people instead of spending ten thousand dollars on a mailers and things like that, so. I just can’t afford things like that.

MB: But, and over time, that kind of thing will kick in to, to an extent.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, yeah.

MB: So, what kind of reactions are you getting door to door.

Chris Ruggles: Pretty positive. A lot of people don’t like his policies…People are fed up with the economy and the way it’s going. They don’t like paying a hundred dollars at the pump every time they go fill up their vehicle, so. I think the economy is a big issue for most people. And he hasn’t done anything to address that.

MB: Are people aware of his record when you go door to door?

Chris Ruggles: Most of them are not.

MB: So, when you’re dealing with them door to door, you’re talking with people as you go door to door, are you educating them about his, his record and how you’re different?

Chris Ruggles: Yes.

MB: So you go through the process…

Chris Ruggles: Yes.

MB: …and they receive that pretty well?

Chris Ruggles: Pretty well, yeah. I tell them he’s voted for…vouchers in 2007. He voted for allowing uncertified teachers to teach in Missouri.

MB: And, and in this district they very much want to support public education.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah. I think educ…the schools here in Lee’s Summit are why a lot of people move to Lee’s Summit, because they’re probably the best schools in the state I think. So that’s why I think t
hat lee’s Summit has grown exponentially in the last couple of years, so.

MB: So, so things are, the economy and support for public education…

Chris Ruggles: Yeah.

MB: …are big issues. Anything else that people have brought up to you that are concerns for them?

Chris Ruggles: Outsourcing of jobs.

MB: Really?

Chris Ruggles: Yeah. There’s a few people that were pretty concerned about that.

MB: There’s not a heck of a lot that the Missouri general Assembly can do about that.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, exactly, so. I try to tell them that I’ll do the best I can…Pretty much the main worries of people, number one, the economy. Number two, it’s a split between health care and education….

…MB: What kind of support do you feel you’re getting from the Democratic establishment, Democratic activists? Do you feel good about that?

Chris Ruggles: Yeah…They’re starting to come around and help me out. With flyers, like this, donor lists, not too many volunteers yet…

MB: Volunteers are a hard part of every campaign.

Chris Ruggles: Yeah, yeah. It’s a job no one wants to do.

MB: Are you finding that you’re learning more about fundraising, how to make things work? You see that that will pick up?

Chris Ruggles: I’m actually planning a fundraiser for the weekend after labor day. We’re going to do a five K run, that’s going to be called “Running with Ruggles.” So, hopefully we’ll get a lot of name recognition with that, and a lot of, hopefully, raise some money with that, too…

MB: …Before you decided to run were you ever this deeply involved in campaigning?

Chris Ruggles: I was in, once I started, once I got into college. Before that, when I was in the Navy, no. When I was in high school, no.

MB: …From your perspective now, just the experience from filing to now, how are things different in your perception.

Chris Ruggles: It’s a lot of work. You never realize how much work it is until you actually get down in the dirt and do it. It’s definitely a lot of work. But, again, at the same time, there’s, there’s a lot of rewards. The networking is just amazing. Just meeting people and getting out and saying, “Hey, I’m running for state representative,” and just getting their reaction is pretty amazing, so. It’s definitely been a pretty unique learning experience…

…A lot of people don’t realize how much state politics affects them until you get out and say, “This is what we do,” things like that, and I think the finally realize how important state politics are…

Let’s look at some of that fitness club legislation on the part of republican Representative Brian Yates:

Summary of the Introduced Bill

HB 2103 — Taxation of Health and Fitness Memberships and Equipment

Sponsor:  Yates

This bill authorizes an exemption from state and local sales and use tax for dues or membership fees to any health club, athletic club, exercise club, fitness club, or other similar club or facility and from state sales and use tax for any health, fitness, exercise, or similar equipment purchased for private use in a home.

Beginning January 1, 2008, the bill authorizes an individual income tax deduction for the purchase price of fitness equipment and the total amount paid for fitness fees, as long as the costs have not been deducted on the taxpayer’s federal income tax return…

Here’s a co-sponsored bill:

Summary of the Introduced Bill

HB 1437 — Sales Tax Exemption on Health Club Fees

Sponsor:  Smith (14)

This bill authorizes an exemption from sales tax for fees and dues paid to any health club, athletic club, exercise club, fitness club, or other similar club or facility.

And in 2006:

Summary of the Introduced Bill

HB 1142 — Sales Tax on Health Clubs

Sponsor:  Yates

This bill authorizes an exemption from sales tax for fees and dues paid to health and fitness centers if they are paid solely for health-benefit activities, are separately stated on the bill, and do not include dues or fees for any other activities or services.

Yep, it’s there.

Okay, let’s look at Brian Yates’ (r) first quarter 2008 campaign finance report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 15th:

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report

Committe[e]: YATES 2008

1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $18,074.99

2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $1,225.00

9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $19,299.99

15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $6,841.90

28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $23,272.70

[emphasis added]

And where did the money come from?:

Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received

Committee: YATES 2008

Report Date: 4/15/2008

Aetna, Inc. Hartford, CT 01/15/2008 $325.00

Missouri Atrchitects PAC Jefferson City, MO 01/30/2008 $325.00

MOSFA PAC INC. JEFFERSON CITY, MO 01/08/2008 $325.00

ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION 575 7TH STREET WASHINGTON, DC 01/15/2008 $250.00

(8. TOTAL: ITEMIZED CONTRIBUTIONS THIS PERIOD: $1,225.00)

9. AMOUNT OF ITEM 8 THAT WAS RECEIVED AS MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS $1,225.00

13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $0.00

14. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS (NOT COMMITTEES) GIVING $100 OR LESS $0.00

[emphasis added]

Yeah, you can just feel that grassroots fever.

Let’s look what republican Brian Yates’ campaign spent:

Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made

Committe[e]: YATES 2008

Report[ ]Date: 4/15/2008

The Frame Shop Jefferson City, MO 02/19/2008 Frame of Signed House Bill for legislative office. $110.53

Brian Yates Lees Summit, MO 01/10/2008 Reimbursement for Capitol Wi-Fi service $150.00

(14. TOTAL: ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES THIS PERIOD: $260.53)

15. TOTAL: MONETARY EXPENDITURES THIS PERIOD (SUM 7 + 14) $273.85

C. MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE (REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT)

CITIZENS FOR BRAD LAGER SAVANNAH MO 03/21/2008 $1,350.00

FRIENDS OF STEELMAN ROLLA MO 03/30/2008 $1,350.00

(25. TOTAL: MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD: $2,700.00)

[emphasis added]

Hmm. republican Brian Yates has placed his bets. His committee maxed out to some republican state wide candidates. I wonder if they’re all friends? You think?

Now that Chris Ruggles is running in the 56th it looks like Brian Yates’ committee will probably have to spend a little more money close to home and a little less money on republican candidates elsewhere. That’s a very good thing.

Chris Ruggles filed his Statement of Committee Organization (pdf) with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 21, 2008.

Chris Ruggles is going to run a hard charging campaign, with or without money. If he gets some money it’ll be a little easier for him. You all know what to do.

Joe Volpe (D) is challenging incumbent Will Kraus (r) in the 48th Legislative District which includes the city of Raytown and other parts of Jackson County.

Show Me Progress took a look at the race in 48th Legislative District – first quarter campaign finance reports last month. This morning I had an opportunity to sit down at a corporate chain coffee shop in Lee’s Summit and speak with Joe Volpe:

MB: Joe, you’re running in the 48th…

Joe Volpe: Yes sir.

MB: …What made you decide to run for the General Assembly?

Joe Volpe: What brought me to call, huh?

MB: Yeah…

…Joe Volpe: [laughter] Well, it was a mixture of several things. And teaching political science I always try to get my students to get involved. I’m always harpin’ at ’em about becoming an election judge, working a campaign, so forth. So a number of them did. And then one day, they took me to lunch and said, “Okay, you’ve been harpin’ at us for months, now it’s your turn. Put your money where your mouth is.” So we did some research. And I’d been thinking about running for a couple years, sort of in the back of the mind, you know, that kind of thing. And we took a trip to Jefferson City. And I saw the current state representative [Will Kraus] in action and, to be honest with you, I was extremely under whelmed. And I decided at that point I didn’t want him to be our state representative. I thought I could do a lot better job.

MB: So, this is a matter of issues?

Joe Volpe: It’s a matter of issues. It’s a matter of style. I kind…I see it as like there’s two kinds of people that run for office. There’s people that want to be public servants and then there’s people that want to make a name for themselves. He may be one of those, the latter. I want to actually go there to help people. Because we’ve got a lot of problems in this state and this nation that need to be solved. And I don’t think we’re moving in those directions.

MB: What do you see…are the pressing issues that are facing Missouri and the Missouri General Assembly? What does the General Assembly have to deal with?

Joe Volpe: The General Assembly has to deal with a lot of things and most of which they’re either putting off, or not dealing with at all. Or they’re using fluff without substance. Just to give you a couple of examples. Health care – the one that everybody mentions. There are a hundred thousand kids in this state without healthy insurance. That is obscene. You’ve got…if you include all the people in Missouri, including the ones that nobody ever counts, there’s probably three quarters of a million people that do not have health insurance. We need to get to a point where everybody in this state and this nation, eventually, is taken care of…

…but, other problems. Something people don’t talk about very often, our infrastructure. Missouri ranks forty eight out of fifty in our infrastructure. Roads, bridges, highways. The only two states that are worse were hit by a hurricane. Yeah, what’s, what is the Blunt administration and Will Kraus and these people, what are they doing about it? Nothing. What is it going to take? A bridge collapse like in Minneapolis and a lot of people get killed before somebody does something? That’s ridiculous. These people are put there by the voters to actually take care of the voters. That’s what I want to do. Because I don’t think the current people are doing it. And the Republican Party has, over the last few years, sat on its laurels. Supposedly they had a mandate. But if they did, they sure let it go out the window real quick. You know, it’s, they’re more interested in power politics and who’s on top and that kind of stuff. I mean it’s time to get back to helping your average guy on the street. I mean, the state in March lost ten thousand jobs. What is Matt Blunt doing about it? Nothing. Except talking about his wife seeing ghosts in the governor’s mansion and stuff like that. I mean, come on.

MB: I hadn’t heard that one.

Joe Volpe: Yeah, it’s incredible. The stuff they talk about. That they feel is important. The average guy on the street, he doesn’t care about that stuff. He wants something done about these problems. And I’ve told people that whenever I meet them out on the street or in coffee shops or wherever, gas stations, there’s a good place to meet people who are really upset. You know, I tell them I’m running to actually help solve problems. I use the word change. You know I started using it even before Obama got on to that. I’m not going to get on him about it. He can use it, too. But I think we need real fundamental change in this country and in this state. I mean when you get to the economy, jobs, education – me being an educator, that’s a pet peeve with me – you know the funding cuts in this state at all levels have been incredible. Missouri ranks forty seventh in teacher salaries. Who thought that up? I mean if you don’t pay your teachers how are people going to learn? And it’s not just kids. I mean you’ve got older Americans going back. I have a, in my classes I have a lot of older students…

MB: Non-traditional students.

Joe Volpe: Yeah, exactly. I’ve had students as old as eighty, ninety years old. You know, that want to go back to learn. How are they gonna do it if you don’t have qualified people in the classrooms to teach ’em? It’s, this is one thing I really get fired up about. And when I get to Jefferson City I’m gonna change that.

MB: One of the things that various people talk about is that there is very little discretionary money left in the state budget.

Joe Volpe: Yeah.

MB. So, you know, then it becomes a matter of  where do you find the money to deal with these, these various problems?

Joe Volpe: Yeah, Matt Blunt has, was bragging that he had got a surplus, which now has turned into a deficit. I think through better planning, through streamlining, and through using taxpayer’s money wisely, instead of just wasteful, we can find a lot of extra discretionary money without raising taxes. I am not a big tax person. I mean, I have to live on my salary. I know everybody else has to live on theirs. I’ve seen rises in property taxes that have been obscene. You know, I think through better management of government and using the legislature as a watchdog on the executive branch so they don’t get carried away, we can find some extra money. We just gotta use our heads, not our back sides.

MB: In the general kind of campaign mechanics, this is nothing new to you. But you’re obviously at a point where you’re having to apply it for your own campaign…

Joe Volpe: Well, I’ll interrupt you at this point. I teach political science.

MB. Right.

Joe Volpe: And my specialty happens to be campaigns and elections. But, teaching it and actually being in it is two very different things. I mean, as the candidate it’s like a whole different universe out there. You get stuff that they don’t learn in class. You know, and you have to deal with the big shots in Jefferson City and that kind of stuff. That’s not stuff you learn in a book. It’s just stuff you have to pick up as you go. And hopefully you do it well then you get elected. But, you know, sometimes you screw up and make mistakes. I mean, we’re only human.

MB: I know that story. I know that story very well.

Joe Volpe: [laughter]

MB: Have there been any surprises for you in this process?

Joe Volpe: Well, actually there have been. Usually there’s a lot of apathy out there. But this year things are quite a bit different. People are fired up. Especially on the Democratic side. They see this as an opportunity to fundamentally change what’s going on in Jefferson City, Washington, maybe even throughout the world. You know, and I’m not just pinning that all on Obama. I mean that goes through many different candidates, through different issu
es – Iraq, the economy, everything. It, It’s, It’s finally I think hitting home with a lot of people. I think it’s awesome. That people for the first time maybe in years are coming out and saying, “Whoa, maybe we need to do something about this.” My vote does count. My participation in a campaign counts. Maybe me being as an election judge counts. Maybe voting for a certain candidate because of what he believes in, not just because he looks good in a suit or whatever, you know, that sort of thing.

MB. In talking to voters what are you finding to be their main concern or main concerns?

Joe Volpe: Well, the usual top three. Jobs and the economy. Health care. Education. Ad then there’s certain areas where immigration may be important, honesty in government, a lot of people are upset now that they’ve taken the caps off campaign contributions. And people are afraid that maybe some of the rich and powerful are gonna start buying elections in Missouri.

MB. That’s interesting. So, you, you’re, in your conversations with average voters they’re bringing up the…

Joe Volpe: Average voters bring up the most unusual stuff you will believe. Most of them, like I say, they concentrate on the main issues. They’re losing their house through foreclosure, they just lost their job at Sprint, or they’re kid’s college tuition increased thirty per cent. You know, those are the main ones. But every once in a while you get a, someone that knows a little bit more than your average voter and he knows about those limits and it’s scary. He’s afraid that maybe his influence is going to be diminished because his check book isn’t as big as somebody else’s.

MB: Your, your opponent in the general election is generally been well funded.

Joe Volpe: Yes. Still is.

MB: Still is. Are you finding that people are stepping up to support you?

Joe Volpe: I am getting a lot of small donations right now. Twenty bucks, twenty five dollars, that sort of thing. People know that on the other side there’s a lot of PACs and corporate organizations that are funneling money into his campaign. So they are helping out. I’m reaching out to as many people as I can, because as everybody knows, it takes money to run a campaign. I mean, it may not be the most fun thing in the world, but unfortunately, it does take money. It’s doubtful if I’ll be able to out raise him because he’s got so much corporate support. But, we’re gonna out work him. We’re going the old fashioned grassroots politics stuff. Door to door. Making phone calls. All that kind of good stuff. And I have a very good feeling based on just talking to your average voter – they’re, they see good in our campaign and they’re tired of what’s been going on….

….That’s the feeling I’m getting going door to door talking to people. They’re tired of it. They want people in there that’s gonna do something.

MB: And these are average people that really, it’s just, it’s about how politics, the intersection of politics with their lives, it’s only because it affects their lives. They’re not the kind of people that, that you know, play the game, picks somebody…

Joe Volpe: Right.

MB…root for them. Everything. They’re just…

Joe Volpe: And know it’s like affecting everybody. I mean when gas is close to four dollars a gallon, or they’re losing their home to foreclosures. I mean, they’re affected. They’re angry.

MB: …you see, even in other polls, the right direction/wrong track numbers. They’re like…

Joe Volpe: It’s incredible.

MB: I’ve never seen numbers like…

Joe Volpe: Eighty one per cent of the American people think we’re going in the wrong direction now.

MB: Yeah, that’s like…

Joe Volpe: …those are like great depression numbers. It’s incredible. I mean, if that doesn’t give the big shots on high some indication what’s going on then they shouldn’t be there. They need to pay attention to the guy on the street. And he’s saying “Wrong direction, change the sign. It goes that way now…”      

You know what to do. Help Joe Volpe out.