My Congressmen, Russ Carnahan, member of a prominent Missouri political family (read: he got elected based on his name), lost his district through the post-Census redistricting process,* so he had to find another district to run in. He chose the district that encompasses the city of St. Louis, long represented by William Lacy Clay, whose father also held the seat (read: he got elected based on his name).
It is widely believed that this race will be bitter and racially-tinged (Clay is black). Some of the bitterness is because Carnahan thinks Clay didn't fight hard enough to save Carnahan's seat when redistricting occurred, which is a typically petty reason for a political snit.
Here are some bullet points from early coverage of this race that illustrate its entertainment value:
- Clay speaking of Carnahan: "He doesn't have a chance." That's rather cocky.
- "Clay noted that a recent National Journal ranking put him as tied for the most liberal member of Congress, compared to 139th for Carnahan." It is not often that someone would brag about something like this. Only in our run-down urban centers.
- Some filing-for-the-ballot day bitterness from Clay to Carnahan, delivered face to face: “Couldn’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule?”
- Carnahan has so far avoided any attacks on Clay, but "Clay predicted that the August primary “will be ugly.”" That sounds like a threat to me. Clay also said Carnahan's decision to run “was a selfish act." That is true, no doubt.
- Carnahan is "making good on his promise to seek another term in Congress." What a bold promise - quite possibly the only one he has kept recently.
With this much cattiness on the first day of the race, this contest should provide a wealth of train-wreck goodness all summer long. Stay tuned.
*This all assumes that the Missouri Supreme Court doesn't throw out the redistricting plan, which I don't think it will.
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