CD8

Via Politico, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified Missouri's 8th District as one of their "emerging" targets for 2010.  The DCCC:

"These strong candidates are getting the attention of folks back home because of their willingness to be independent voices for their districts and prevent a return to the same failed Bush policies that drove America into an economic ditch," said Jon Vogel of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "As these strong candidates continue building excitement for their campaigns to create jobs and help middle class families back home, the DCCC will help them become even more competitive in November."

The full list is here.

Bob Parker, who's running in the 8th Congressional District GOP primary against Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, is still not on the agenda for tomorrow's Patriot Rally in Poplar Bluff, but he's sendinghis best in a letter to the gathering. The SEMO Times has the whole letter -- here's an excerpt:

The truth about candidates and issues must be told if we are going to take back our Country. We must have an open debate on these issues. This is not a Democrat verses Republican debate. Many in my party, the Republican party, have failed at upholding our freedoms and rights. That is not working for Missouri, and that is not working for America. We must be ever vigilant against those that would wrap themselves in the flag but vote for un-constitutional freedom destroying bills in Washington!..

Yesterday we noted the incredibly ironic list of keynote speakers for an upcoming "Patriot Rally" in Poplar Bluff for "the next generation of the Tea Party."  Roy Blunt and Jo Ann Emerson are headlining the event, despite their considerable differences with most tea party activists. 

Bob Parker, the Texas County rancher who is challenging Emerson in the GOP primary this August, saw our story and is predictably unhappy with the establishment's hijacking of the tea party brand.  In fact, he says he tried to get on the list of speakers, but was not allowed by organizers. 

Here's what he wrote on our Facebook page:

The Wall Street Journal posted a story tonight about a recent luxurious trip to Scotland for Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and 11 of her colleagues to attend a NATO Parliamentary Assembly conference.  Her trip is highlighted as an example of the growing taxpayer-financed travel costs for Members of Congress and their staffs.

The expenses racked up by U.S. lawmakers traveling here for a conference last month included one for the "control room."

The Central West End home of David and Becky Nelson overflowed with enthusiastic contributors and well wishers last night for 8th congressional district hopeful Tommy Sowers of Rolla. Among the guests were St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee Chairman Brian Wahby; Chair of the Board of Alderman Lewis Reed, former Clayton Mayor and wife Ben and Susan Uchitelle and former U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan.

Sowers, 33, is an 11-year veteran, having served in Kosovo and twice in Iraq as an Army Ranger and Green Beret. Most recently he taught at West Point before returning to his home in Rolla to teach Political Science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Sowers is putting together a campaign that resembles a well planned military engagement.

Watch out Jo Ann Emerson!     

The Daily Dunklin Democrat profiles Bob Parker today, a Republican challenger to Jo Ann Emerson in the 8th Congressional District. Like we've seen in numerous other races, Parker is staking his candidacy on tea party anger.

Parker said concerns over last fall's federal bailout of financial institutions was one of his determining factors [in running], adding that the $700 billion bailout has failed to deliver on its promises...

"What are we going to do? The national media isn't saying anything about it. We've got to take America back. I'm not going to wait until they come and knock on my door; I'm going up to Washington and knock on their doors."

CNN Commentator and Democratic strategist Paul Begala has some very nice words for 8th Congressional District candidate Tommy Sowers today in The Huffington Post:

I must say I tried to talk him out of it [running for Congress]. The district, I said, is too Republican, and the election cycle too challenging. Tommy would have none of it. This is his home, he said, and this is his duty.

While the district is undeniably Republican-leaning, Sowers is at home there in a way the incumbent, Jo Ann Emerson, is perhaps not. Emerson's husband, Bill, represented the area until his death in 1996, and Jo Ann Emerson succeeded him. She has won by overwhelming margins ever since. But her background is more K Street than Cape Girardeau. A former Washington lobbyist, Emerson has over the years been a darling of Washington PACs. In fact, 56.9% of the money she has raised in her career has been from PACs. She risks being seen as of Washington special interests, by Washington special interests and for Washington special interests.