Rep. Mark Wright of the 137th district isn't running for re-election for his House seat. He's running for State Auditor. And he's talking blunt on a host of issues. "I've always had an independent streak," he told me.
Here's his comments on everything from why the Democrats blew the chances of a special session to why Rep. Viebrock is vulnerable in his G.O.P. primary.
Wright on the Race to Replace Him:
"I've decided at this time not to endorse anyone," Wright said of the two Republicans running to replace him. Wright admits the 137th should be a hot one. He even says the Dems have a great shot at picking it up. "I don't see any leading contender right now for my seat," Wright said. "It's a Democrat leaning district, there's just no doubt about it. And the Democrats have a very legitimate shot."
Wright on How Democrats Blew A Special Session:
Rep. Wright now calls a fall special session to reinstate some Medicaid cuts "unlikely." He says instead of joining a bipartisan effort to push for a special session, Democrats decided to play election year politics. "What's discouraging to me is that the Democratic leadership was invited to our initial press conference and decided not to come," Wright said. "Two days later, they initiate this petition. That proves to me their motives are not pure, because they could've come out with us initially, but they decided not to." Wright also says that to this day, Democratic leaders have not contacted him to sign the petition (for a special session) or ask him to gather signatures. He says that proves this was a partisan effort by the Dems to gin up an election year issue. "If they had been with us from the beginning, we would've worked with them," Wright said.
Wright on the STL-PD Poll:
A St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll on the State Auditor Race gives Rep. Wright 8%, placing him 4th in a field of five. "I laughed at it," Wright said. "That poll has no credibility whatsoever. It has me at 8% in southwest Missouri and 11% in the north and southeast? C'mon! I think this is a poll skewed to St. Louis. I don't take it seriously." The only thing Wright said he agreed on is that any of the 5 has a chance to win.
Wright on Races to Watch:
Rep. Mark Wright says Democratic Rep. Sara Lampe will have to work harder than she thinks to be re-elected. Lampe faces no primary opponent but two G.O.P contenders are aiming to knock her off. "I think Ms. Lampe has a tough go this time," Wright said.
On the 134th G.O.P. primary, Wright said his colleague Rep. Jim Viebrock can be beaten. "Jim is viewed as pretty independent inside the caucus," Wright said. "The caucus supported some things that he hasn't and that has put him in conflict with the leadership and upset some with his stances," Wright told me. He said he's inclined to support his colleague in the primary, but says the 134th will be one to watch on primary night.
7 comments:
Re: the special session remarks by Mark Wright.
This is the problem with Republicans in Jefferson City. They cast everything in partisan terms. Wright claims that if Dems "had been with us from the beginning, we would've worked with them." Oh, really? You mean, the same way they worked with Dems when the GOP slashed Medicaid coverage?
So the Republicans are teaching the democrats a lesson on the special session issue. Next time they can take their ball and go home when people don't play by their rules.
The problem is in this game they are playing 18,000 disabled Missourians (not the democratic elected officials) are suffering. They just don't get public service. If it doens't serve them persoanlly they don't see the merit of it. More reason to throw all the Republicans and their political gamesmanship out of Jefferson City.
This Dave Catanese guy doesn't know what he's talking about and the man doesn't ever sleep? Check out the times of his postings... get a life buddy.
Wright needs to learn how to read a poll. Samples are accurate statewide within the margin of error. Within any given region the margin of error may be different. In any given region it might be plus or minus eight which would expain the result.
Bad news for Wright. No one knows who he is and he has no money to spend. He will likely finish last if he doesn't raise wome money. He does have a good sounding name and many voters won't know who any of the candidates are in a primarey race for Auditor so he might pick up some of their votes.
Wright should have stayed with his plan to run against Champion in the primary for Senate. I hear he let the Governor pressure him out of the race. The Governor must want Champion back. She is really struggling with her grasp of issues. They were laughing at her beind her back in Jefferson City. I guess she does what she is told. It really would have been better for her to retire at 73. She's already been there 14 years (total).
www.technologypark2006.org
If the Jackson campaign wouldn't have called out Wright's plan months ago I think Wright would have dropped out of the race by now and endorsed Loudon as they orginally planned. He can't do it now because then it would prove they were working together all along. Mark has to know he has virtually no chance of winning.
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