Missouri Republican Party
204 East Dunklin
Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
Dear Missouri Republican Party,
My name is Alex Spencer, and I live in St. Charles County. We need your help. Whatever happened to President Ronald Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment?
Did we already forget what happened when we couldn’t unite behind one candidate? Do you remember April of 2005? It was time for the special election to fill the vacancy left by State Representative Sally Faith on the all-Republican St. Charles County Council. The Republicans nominated former St. Charles City Councilman Richard Baum to fill the seat. We even brought in outside talent in the form of John Hancock (the former Missouri Republican Party Executive Director and Governor Blunt’s spokesman). The Democrats nominated Joe McCulloch, brother of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch. A spoiler named Jerry Butterbaugh filed as an Independent. Our Republican Governor was under fire for some unpopular decisions. The Republicans in St. Charles County were bickering and Hancock was off his game. Republicans could not get it together and support their candidate.
Democrat Joe McCulloch joined the St. Charles County Council. We’re still not sure what happened. The Republican Party in St. Charles County needs your help.
A vocal minority of the Republican Party has placed its own agenda above all else at the expense of winning elections. For purposes of this letter, we’ll call this group the “green wing” of the Republican Party. Basically, the “green wing” was born when Great Rivers Habitat Alliance joined up with St. Charles County’s favorite couple – Carl Maus and Ray Stone and they conspired to stop all growth in St. Charles County. The Great White Duck Hunters were primarily concerned with stopping any interference with their playground in the floodplain, and Carl and Ray like to “go fishing” and seem to detest development of any kind. Sure, they call it “smart growth” but we all know that’s a nifty marketing ploy that really means “no growth.” The Great White Duck Hunters were on a crusade against the City of St. Peters, and so was our good friend and Republican Central Committee Vice-Chair Brandy Pedersen, ergo, a match made in heaven.
This motley crew has interfered in a number of elections and they place their own green wing agenda ahead of best interests of the Republican Party, the voters, or anyone else for that matter. They are very short-sighted and even when they lose fair and square, they run to court to achieve a different result. But, they claim to be Republicans.
Now, here we are quickly approaching the April 2006 election. State Representative Scott Rupp is the Republican Nominee to replace State Senator Jon Dolan. As you well know, Rupp is bright, articulate and energetic. While he may not have quite as much flair as Dolan, I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. Rupp would be an outstanding representative for the people of the 2nd District. Rupp is facing a strong Democrat challenger, State Representative Wayne Henke of Lincoln County who is pro-life and pro-business. Henke recently hosted former Senator (and Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate) John Edwards. That’s pretty noteworthy no matter how you slice it. John Edwards was not in town to stump for Claire McCaskill, he was in town to encourage rank-in-file democrats to get out the message and support Henke. That’s pretty scary stuff. It was certainly a main topic of conversation during our Lincoln Days Celebration last week. As always, Lincoln Days was a great party and we had a good time, but there was a palpable level of concern in the room, and we were all warned: “don’t be complacent and don’t take anything for granted.”
In attendance that evening was County Councilman Joe Brazil, who is now the poster child of the new “green wing” of the Republican Party. Brazil has consistently voted pro-labor, pro-Duck Hunter, anti-business, anti-growth. According to the rumor mill, he had a nasty divorce and used to be a democratic activist across the river someplace before he moved to St. Charles County. Can’t you check this stuff out?
Brazil’s biggest fan is a particularly annoying blogger named Chuck MacNab (outspoken friend of alleged “Republican” Brandy Pedersen). MacNab thinks that Republicans should vote for Henke this April to teach the Republican Party establishment (that would be you guys by the way) a lesson and pave the way for Brazil to win the Republican Primary in August. MacNab has a pathetic little website where he basically criticizes other Republicans (ranging from President George H. W. Bush for hanging out with President Clinton all the way down to Republican State Committeeman Roland Wetzel for towing the “party” line.) I won’t give you MacNab’s website address since I don’t want to increase his readership all the way to double-digits. Sufficed to say, he and Pedersen are more destructive to our Republican candidates than their Democratic opponents. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
It’s too early to say, but I suspect that Carl and Ray, financed by the Duck Hunters, will step in and run Brazil’s campaign for State Senate. After all, the Duck Hunters would like an ally in the State Senate. All of this will be at the expense of the Republican Party and McCulloch may not be the only Democratic victor of a special election in St. Charles County. I know that you guys are trying to ignore the whole mess, but I don’t think you can much longer.
President Ronald Reagan said: “Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.” What is the Missouri Republican Party going to do to help us? Are you going to continue to let Carl and Ray, Pedersen and MacNab, and the rest of our “critics-in-chief” continue to destroy your Republican Stronghold? I sure hope not.
We saw what happened during the February Special Election earlier this year. St. Charles County could be next. Please send help.
Sincerely,
Alex Spencer
