South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

St. Louis County voters provide some surprises in primary races

Election 2004

St. Louis County voters had a few surprises in store for candidates in last week’s primary election.

Though state Rep. Russ Carnahan of St. Louis captured the Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat, political observers were stunned by the showing of Jeff Smith of St. Louis.

Smith gave Carnahan a run for the money in the Aug. 3 primary, outpacing both state Sen. Steve Stoll of Festus and former state Rep. Joan Barry of Oakville, according to unofficial election results.

Unofficial election results in contested races in the Call’s circulation area include:

2nd Congressional District

George D. Weber of Eureka defeated John Hogan of St. Charles to capture the Democratic nomination for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis, who was unopposed in the primary.

Weber received 36,469 votes and Hogan, who ran unsuccessfully against Akin two years ago, garnered 30,117 votes.

Also vying for the seat in the November election will be Libertarian Darla Maloney of St. Charles, who also ran unsuccessfully against Akin two years ago.

3rd Congressional District

Ten candidates were vying for the Democratic nomination for the 3rd Congressional District seat currently held by Richard Gephardt, D-south county, along with two Republican candidates.

Carnahan will square off against Republican Bill Federer of Oakville and Libertarian Kevin C. Babcock of St. Louis in the November election for the seat Gephardt has held since 1976. Gephardt is not seeking re-election.

In the Democratic primary, Carnahan received 24,500 votes; Smith, 22,767 votes; Stoll, 19,372 votes; Barry, 18,919 votes; Mariano Favazza of St. Louis, 9,647 votes; Mark Smith of St. Louis, 7,399 votes; Jo Ann Karll of High Ridge, 2,667 votes; Mike Evans of St. Louis, 644 votes; Corey Mohn of St. Louis, 589 votes; and Michael R. Bram of Oakville, 469 votes.

In the Republican primary, Federer received 28,425 votes and Joan McGivney of Webster Groves garnered 9,371 votes.

Babcock of St. Louis was unopposed in the primary.

1st Senate District

Bob Yeckel of Sunset Hills defeated David Strickland of St. Louis to win the Republican nomination for the 1st District Missouri Senate currently held by Yeckel’s wife, Anita.

Bob Yeckel will face Democrat Harry Kennedy of St. Louis and Green Party candidate David Sladky of Lemay in the November election. Neither Kennedy nor Sladky was opposed in the primary.

Kennedy currently serves as the District 3 state senator. Because of redistricting, Kennedy cannot seek re-election in the 3rd District.

Anita Yeckel cannot seek re-election to the Senate because of term limits and sought the Republican nomination for state treasurer in a seven-candidate race.

Sen. Sarah Steelman of Rolla captured the Republican nomination for state treasurer and will face Democrat Mark Powell, who serves as the mayor of Arnold, in the November election.

100th District Missouri House

Incumbent Rep. Sue Schoemehl, D-Oakville, defeated Patricia Willeke of Oakville to capture the Democratic nomination for the 100th District Missouri House seat.

Two years ago, Willeke had unsuccessfully challenged Schoemehl in the Democratic primary. In last week’s election, Schoemehl received 4,907 votes and Willeke garnered 802.

Schoemehl now will face Republican Michael Rohrbacker of Oakville in the November election. Two years ago, Schoemehl defeated Rohrbacker in the race for the 100th District seat.

County executive

Incumbent Charlie Dooley defeated five challengers to capture the Democratic nomination for county executive and will square off against former County Executive Gene McNary, who captured the Republican nomination, and Libertarian Theo. “Ted” Brown Sr. in the November election to serve the final two years of the late George R. “Buzz” Westfall’s term.

Westfall died in October and Dooley unanimously was selected by the County Council to serve as county executive until the November election.

In the Democratic primary, Dooley received 89,735 votes. Finishing second was Charlotte Meshell, who garnered 22,503 votes; Carl Johnson, 9,127 votes; David J. Lee, 8,314 votes; Thomas Patrick Van Berkel, 4,213 votes; and John Basil Moldovan, 3,198 votes.

In the Republican primary, McNary received 45,179, followed by County Councilman Kurt Odenwald, who garnered 40,644 votes.

Fenton Mayor Dennis Hancock received 5,535 votes and Edward L. Golterman garnered 1,912 votes. Golterman previously had announced he was withdrawing from the race, but his name remained on the ballot.

Brown was unopposed in the primary election.

6th District County Council

Democrat Julie Leicht of Concord will vie with incumbent Republican John Campisi of south county for the 6th District County Council seat in the November election.

Leicht defeated Ron Wagganer of Lemay in the Democratic primary, receiving 10,061 votes to Wagganer’s 8,791 votes.

Campisi was unopposed in last week’s primary election.

Concord Township

Republican Committeewoman

Challenger M. Joanne Breckenridge defeated incumbent Patra Leara in the race for the Concord Township Republican committeewoman post.

Breckenridge received 2,317 votes, while Leara garnered 990 votes. Leara’s husband, Mike, was unopposed in his bid for the Concord Township Republican committeeman’s post.

Oakville Township

Democratic Committeewoman

Incumbent Ann Pluemer fended off a challenge from Norma Hiatt in the race for the Oakville Township Democratic committeewoman’s post in last week’s election.

Pluemer received 2,772 votes, while Hiatt garnered 1,996 votes.

Tesson Ferry Township

Republican Committeeman

Challenger Carl Hendrickson defeated incumbent Joe Matuszak in the race for the Tesson Ferry Township committeeman’s post in last week’s election.

Hendrickson, a former state representative, received 2,775 votes, while Matuszak, who had served as committeeman for six years, garnered 1,668 votes.

The following candidates were unopposed in the primary election:

66th District Missouri House

Democratic incumbent Michael Vogt of Affton will face Republican Robert A. Weiter of Affton in the November election for the 66th District Missouri House seat.

85th District Missouri House

Republican incumbent Jim Lembke of Lemay will face former County Councilman Jeff Wagener of Lemay and Libertarian Jim Craig of Lemay in the November election for the 85th District Missouri House seat.

95th District Missouri House

Republican incumbent Jim Avery of Crestwood was unopposed in the primary and is unopposed in the November election for the District 95 Missouri House seat. Avery has been deployed to serve in Iraq for a year with the National Guard’s 1140th Engineering Battalion.

96th District Missouri House

Democratic incumbent Patricia “Pat” Yaeger of Lemay will face Republican Mike Becker, P.O. Box 190594, 63119, and Ronald Levy of Affton in the race for the District 96 Missouri House seat.

97th District Missouri House

Republican incumbent Walt Bivins of Oakville will face Democrat Jane Koeller of Concord in the race for the 97th District Missouri House seat. Two years ago, Bivins defeated Koeller to win the seat.

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