It鈥檚 been And it鈥檚 fair to say that neither candidate wasted much time in fashioning their general election message 鈥� or sharply questioning their opponent鈥檚 worthiness.
This reporter spent the past few days watching and listening to Chris Koster and Eric Greitens' post-primary speeches. And from what the two men are saying on the stump, Missourians are in for a very contentious campaign 鈥� and discourse that may appear familiar.
Pointing to his military and philanthropic resume, Republican Eric Greitens is positioning himself as a status quo-shaking outsider, eager to upend Jefferson City. He contrasts himself to Koster who, Greitens contended during his primary victory speech, the Democrat was "so caught up in backroom wheeling and dealing that he has forgotten who he is supposed to serve.
鈥淲e鈥檙e tired of the fake and failed leadership that鈥檚 coming out of Jefferson City. And we鈥檙e tired of seeing a land of great people and great potential fall victim to the intrigue of career politicians,鈥� Greitens said to several hundred people in Chesterfield. 鈥淚f Chris Koster were going to do something to help the people and help the state of Missouri, he would have done it already. But he hasn鈥檛. And he won鈥檛.鈥�
Koster is taking a different approach to the general election campaign. Soon after he stepped foot in a union hall in St. Louis last week, he provided some fairly friendly words to the three Republicans that Greitens defeated. He contended that Republican voters tossed Catherine Hanaway, Peter Kinder and John Brunner under the bus 鈥渋n favor of a guy with a machine gun who is a motivational speaker by trade and pledges to mow down, plow down government as we know it in our state.鈥�
鈥淥ur job is to take this frustration and to channel it into the only path that will work for this state. And that is bringing people together in a way that only bipartisanship and listening to one another can,鈥� Koster said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never asked myself how many sit-ups my governor can do. I agree with the folks in New Jersey,. What matters is finding ways to make progress in this state. People are so frustrated that we have not had progress in this state really since term limits came in. We used to have a very experienced legislature. There was great expertise that would grow up in that building.
鈥淎nd I passionately believe that a solution to an inexperienced legislature cannot possibly be an inexperienced governor,鈥� he added.
But just as the "experience versus outsider" argument rages on nationally, a similar debate is about to unfold throughout the Show Me State.
Koster nabs more agriculture endorsements
With the dust settling on the general election match-up, there's been some attention this week over the political impact and importance of endorsements.
Case in point: Koster scooped up some agriculture-related endorsements that typically go to Republican candidates. In addition, Koster recently received the blessing of the Missouri Corn Growers Association and the Missouri Soybean Association.
鈥淎ttorney General Koster further showed his commitment to Missouri鈥檚 top industry, which is agriculture, by advocating for biodiesel,鈥� said Ronnie Russell, a Richmond resident who serves on the Missouri Soybean Association鈥檚 policy committee, during a conference call. 鈥淎nd he鈥檚 also been very supportive and maintained a very pro-agriculture voting record.鈥�
So why are these agricultural endorsements so unusual? , they . More recently,
Koster, though, said last Saturday that there鈥檚 a long history of Democratic closeness with groups like the Missouri Farm Bureau. He pointed to the careers of people like former Sens. Jim Mathewson and Harold Caskey, two conservative Democrats he admires.
鈥淎nd so, it鈥檚 imperative, I think, for a strong Democratic Party to have a strong relationship with agriculture in this state,鈥� Koster said last Saturday. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 let this party retreat into the cities. We have to understand the issues that are vital to the state鈥檚 No. 1 industry. We have to be conversant in them. We have to know their leadership. And I believe we have to promote them and put it on a pedestal as a centerpiece of economic development in this state. And that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e done for 12 years.鈥�
Greitens' But Koster could benefit if these agriculture groups convince some out-state voters to vote for him 鈥� especially because rural Missourians tend to vot for Republicans.
What about the NRA?
Speaking of endorsements: One of the big question marks is whether the National Rifle Association will back Greitens or Koster. It's an unanswered question because a message to the NRA鈥檚 public relations department about whether the group will endorse in the governor鈥檚 race went unanswered. (NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre told the Springfield News-Leader this week his group .)
While Koster and Greitens are both generally opposed to restricting firearms, the NRA tends to endorse people with voting records over political newcomers. That鈥檚 (You can read .)
Greitens, as alluded to early, Asked if he would be comfortable receiving the NRA鈥檚 backing, Koster replied: 鈥淚 would look forward to receiving the endorsement.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to build a big tent party here. And I鈥檓 trying to bring this state together,鈥� Koster said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e said in many places, rural Missouri wants to see small and fiscally conservative government. They want individual rights respected, including the Second Amendment. But then they want what everybody else wants in this state. Which is they want schools funded, they want roads fixed and they want health care to stop shutting its doors and leaving their communities. That is a group of principles that I feel comfortable around.
鈥淎nd there is going to be debate and back and forth in the Democratic Party around that,鈥� he added. 鈥淏ut that is where I am. And maybe for a different time would bring a different leader. But in this time, this is the path that I will walk.鈥�
Koster's "big tent" comment is a reference to Koster says Missouri Democrats can have different perspectives on the issue.
鈥淭here used to be a lot of people who protected the Second Amendment in this party the way I do now. Now, not so many,鈥� Koster said earlier this week. 鈥淏ut you know, I am where I am. I come up through rural law enforcement. I came up through a more conservative place than perhaps Sly did. But there鈥檚 room in this party for this kind of disagreement.鈥�
On the Trail, a weekly column, weaves together some of the intriguing threads from the world of Missouri politics.
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