Endorsement Round-up: 9th District

Here’s a list of endorsements for the major party candidates in the 9th District Congressional Race:

Judy Baker (D):

• Lt. General (Ret.) Claudia Kennedy
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Alliance for Retired Americans
• The Missouri Nurses Association
  
• National Farmers Union
• Columbia Professional Firefighters
• National Organization for Women
• Columbia Daily Tribune
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Blaine Luetkemeyer (R):

• National Rifle Association
• Missouri Right to Life
• Missourians United for Life
• Missouri Farm Bureau FARM-PAC
• National Federation of Independent Businesses
• Quincy Herald-Whig
• Hannibal Courier-Post

Nurses Union Endorses Baker

The Missouri Nurses Association announced their endorsement of Judy Baker for the House of Representatives Monday, according to a Baker campaign press release.

MONA, which represents over 70,000 nurses in the state, is part of the American Nurses Association. The ANA endorsed Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden earlier this month.

In a statement released earlier today, Baker, a Democrat, thanked the organization for its support:

“I am so thankful for the support of Missouri’s dedicated nurses who see the need for fundamental change in our health care system. With their help I will win this election and represent the issues nurses and Missourians care deeply about: quality health care that we all can afford.”

Still Snags Three More Endorsements

A press release from Mary Still’s campaign this morning announced that the 25th District House candidate has received the endorsement of three more major organizations: The Missouri Nurses Association, the Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters and The Missouri State Teachers Association.

The nod from the Teachers Association is the third major education endorsement Still has received thus far— she is also the endorsed candidate of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

Still is running in the 25th District House race and will face Republican candidate Ryan Asbridge on election day, Nov. 4. Asbridge, a naval intelligence officer, was recently called to active duty. The location and duration of his assignment are classified, but he will likely be out of the country on election day.

Post-Dispatch endorses Gaw and no one else

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch released their endorsement for the Ninth District this week, but declined to endorse any Republican.

Instead, they endorsed Steve Gaw:

His credentials are impeccable: He is a former speaker of the Missouri House who knows how to build coalitions and move legislation. He spent four years on the Missouri Public Service Commission, two of them as chairman, and is intimately familiar with how energy and regulatory issues affect consumers. He has a law degree and a degree in physics and — important in this largely rural district — raises saddle horses and farms in Holts Summit. We disagree with his support for increased offshore oil drilling, but we respect the intellectual rigor he brings to his positions.

See the full endorsement here.

Earlier, the Columbia Daily Tribune endorsed both Blaine Luetkemeyer and Danie Moore for the Republican race and Judy Baker for the Democratic race.

UPDATED: Gaw announces endorsements

Former Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Steve Gaw announced today a list of endorsements he has received.

The Communication Workers of America Locals 6310 and 6320 also endorsed Gaw. Jason Vellmer, vice president and legislative coordinator of both locals, said the two are planning to merge and together represent about 5,000 people. According to the CWA Web site, the organization represents workers in “telecommunications, broadcasting, cable TV, journalism, publishing, electronics and general manufacturing, as well as airline customer service, government service, health care, education and other fields.”

“He was the most labor-friendly candidate running for the primary from the democrat side,” Vellmer said. “He’s willing to support the employee Free Choice Act. He’s willing to support health care reform, and he is basically just friendly to just working class people.”

NEA endorses Baker

The National Education Association has endorsed Columbia’s state Rep. Judy Baker for the Ninth District seat in the U.S. House of representatives.

The association represents about 34,000 educators and school administrators in Missouri.

“Judy has a proven record educators can trust when it comes to the issues that matter most to them and their families – strong public schools, affordable and available health care and a commitment to keeping our families safe,” Chris Guinther, President of Missouri NEA, in a news release from Baker’s campaign. “Judy will be a voice in Congress that advocates for the change we need in Missouri and in America.”

Baker is running against Marion County Commissioner Lyndon Bode, former Public Service Commission chairman Steve Gaw and former state Sen. Ken Jacob in the Democratic primary to replace Republican Kenny Hulshof.

Baker: “It’s time to take care of our own”

State Rep. Judy Baker (D-Columbia) today released the second TV ad in her campaign for the Ninth District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The ad covers a range of issues, including improving the economy, lowering gas prices and withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Missouri Right to Life endorses Bode

Anti-abortion rights organization Missouri Right to Life has endorsed Democrat and Marion County Commissioner Lyndon Bode for Ninth District State Representative. Bode said in a news release that the endorsement shows his campaign is gaining momentum.

Bode is the only anti-abortion rights candidate in the Democratic primary contest for the Ninth District.

“There are a lot of pro-life Democrats in the Ninth Congressional District,” said Patty Skain, Missouri Right to Life executive director. “This lets them know that he would support their issues and the bills that he might vote on as far as protection of life when he gets to Washington.”

Missouri Right to Life has also endorsed Republican and former state Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.

“We certainly hope that Mr. Bode wins his primary and Mr. Luetkemeyer wins his and that we have two pro-life folks running against each other,” Skain said. “That would be the best scenario for us.”

Bode is running against State Rep. Judy Baker, former Sen. Ken Jacob, and former Public Service Commission member Steve Gaw.

Former Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell Endorses Jeff Harris

State Rep. Jeff Harris of Columbia has a new name to add to his list of endorsements for his campaign for Missouri attorney general. As of last Wednesday, former Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell is a Harris supporter.

Maxwell, a Democrat who served as the state’s LG from 2000 to 2005, identified Harris as a “leader in fighting for democratic values.” Both he and the representative emphasized the vastness of Harris’ campaign in its inclusion of “every part of the state,” “in the cities or small towns,” and “in every corner of Missouri.”

The former LG joins two former governors backing Harris: Roger Wilson and Warren Hearnes. Harris is in the lead as of now with 126 endorsements.