Tomorrow there will be special election to fill County Assesor Jake Zimmerman's old Missouri house seat in the 83rd district (located in north central St. Louis County), and the race for his replacement is getting dirty in the past few days.
The race for the 83rd district pits Democrat Jeff O'Connell against Tracy McCreery, another Democrat running as an independent and Republican Patrick Brennan. O'Connell, a labor official and former Overland City Council member has cast McCreery, a former aide to state Senator Joan Bray, as a spoiler who will split the democrat vote and help republicans take the seat. A recent campaign mailing by O'Connell claims that "A vote for Tracy McCreery or Patrick Brennan is a vote for the Tea Party." Those are strong words from one progressive democrat to another.
Today, one day before the election, the dirt began to fly. An attack ad from the Missouri Republican State Committee paints McCreery as an Obama clone. It does not endorse Republican Patrick Brennan.
Also arriving today is a prize piece of campaign slime; an ad that appears to be an attack ad from Tracy McCreery. Seen above, it pictures the three candidates: McCreery is smiling in color, O'Connell frowns in blurry black and white, Brennan is also in black and white, but it's a much better picture.
The captions below the pictures read:
Tracy McCreery is a progressive candidate and former aide to Senator Joan Bray. She's been endorsed by recognized progressive groups like PROMO PAC- a gay and lesbian rights group, NARAL, Planned Parenthood Votes, and Women's Political Caucus of Metro St.Louis.
Jeff O'Connell is a career politician and former member of the Overland City Council. He's also the business agent for a local union.
Republican Patrick Brennan is a former union construction member who embraces the principles of the "Tea Party". He lives in Overland with his wife and daughter.
That last part give the scam away. "He lives in Overland with his wife and daughter"? Why would an attack ad against O'Connell and Brennan mention that? Hell, the ad doesn't even mention McCreery's husband of 17 years.
So what gives? A quick look on the back answers that question:
The race for the 83rd district pits Democrat Jeff O'Connell against Tracy McCreery, another Democrat running as an independent and Republican Patrick Brennan. O'Connell, a labor official and former Overland City Council member has cast McCreery, a former aide to state Senator Joan Bray, as a spoiler who will split the democrat vote and help republicans take the seat. A recent campaign mailing by O'Connell claims that "A vote for Tracy McCreery or Patrick Brennan is a vote for the Tea Party." Those are strong words from one progressive democrat to another.
Today, one day before the election, the dirt began to fly. An attack ad from the Missouri Republican State Committee paints McCreery as an Obama clone. It does not endorse Republican Patrick Brennan.
Also arriving today is a prize piece of campaign slime; an ad that appears to be an attack ad from Tracy McCreery. Seen above, it pictures the three candidates: McCreery is smiling in color, O'Connell frowns in blurry black and white, Brennan is also in black and white, but it's a much better picture.
The captions below the pictures read:
Tracy McCreery is a progressive candidate and former aide to Senator Joan Bray. She's been endorsed by recognized progressive groups like PROMO PAC- a gay and lesbian rights group, NARAL, Planned Parenthood Votes, and Women's Political Caucus of Metro St.Louis.
Jeff O'Connell is a career politician and former member of the Overland City Council. He's also the business agent for a local union.
Republican Patrick Brennan is a former union construction member who embraces the principles of the "Tea Party". He lives in Overland with his wife and daughter.
That last part give the scam away. "He lives in Overland with his wife and daughter"? Why would an attack ad against O'Connell and Brennan mention that? Hell, the ad doesn't even mention McCreery's husband of 17 years.
So what gives? A quick look on the back answers that question:
Yes, that's right. The ad is a trick meant to look like a pro McCreery attack ad. In reality, it is a republican party trick to divide the democrat vote. This may be the most deceptive piece of garbage some voters have ever recieved, and I suspect it comes very close to violating the few campaign rules that still exist in this state.
Chris Otto
Chris Otto