Latest entries in Live Blog: 2010 Missouri primaries
Follow our coverage of results from today's primary elections and other ballot measures, including Proposition C, live as we keep you updated throughout the day and night.
Aug. 3, 2010
Boone County results buck statewide trend, reject Proposition C
With 723 of 3,354 Missouri precincts reporting, Proposition C, the ballot measure to nullify the federal health care law, stands to pass with 75 percent of the vote. Despite this statewide margin, the latest results show Boone County voters are rejecting the proposition, with 51 percent against the proposal.
As of 8:55 p.m., U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan leads the Democratic primary race with 82 percent of the statewide vote and Roy Blunt leads his party's race for U.S. Senate candidacy with 71 percent.
Among Boone County voters, Carnahan leads by a wider margin, pulling in 91 percent over opponents Francis Vangeli and Richard Tolbert. Boone County voters remained consistent with their fellow Missourians in the Republican primary race. Blunt has garnered 70 percent of the vote, maintaining a comfortable lead over his closest opponent, Chuck Purgason, who has 20 percent of Boone County's vote.
Purgason hasn't fared as well throughout the rest of Missouri. Statewide, he's brought in 13 percent of votes.
Stay with The Maneater for continued coverage of tonight's results.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS: Polls close in 30 minutes
Polling places in Boone County for today's primary elections close in about 30 minutes, at 7 p.m.. If you're a registered Boone County voter, you can click here to find your polling place.
Stay with The Maneater for coverage from today's voting and look for results posted as soon as their available on our Missouri primaries live blog throughout this evening.
You can also listen to our City, State and Nation editor, Wes Duplantier, provide his analysis of today's primaries on KCOU/88.1 FM at 8:30 p.m.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS: Why students are coming out to vote
Missouri voters are casting ballots in the state's primary elections today and students have turned out to cast their votes. The Maneater talked to several of these students about why they're coming to the polls and what they think of the most important issues.
John Morrison, graduate medical student
Main reason for voting: Proposition C
Why he’s voting on it: “I feel that all people should be insured. My father, a small business owner, still feels it is an obligation to provide coverage to employees even though all of his competitors have stopped.”
Morrison said he read a 2007 Harvard study claiming the cost of health insurance is one of the leading causes of bankruptcy. He said he was surprised that the issue of Proposition C was not more widely publicized. He found out about it two days ago and said he felt like he had to come out and vote because he feels so strongly about the issue. Morrison thinks the health care industry favors the new federal legislation, but only slightly.
“I’d rather the government have an influence on how I treat my patients than a corporation,” he said.
Heather Hoeflicker, junior, social work
Main reason for voting: None
“I just took a political science class and realized that no one really votes in the primaries, so I just thought that it was important to do so," she said.
Hoeflicker said she voted for Proposition C.
“I vote libertarian so I don’t generally support government interference," she said. "I think it is the individual’s own choice whether they healthcare insurance and how they get it.”
Christian Losciale, senior, political science
Main reason for voting: None.
Losciale, a former Maneater staff writer, said he voted for Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, who is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
“I was working as an intern for the St. Louis Beacon when I went to interview her, her demeanor was very impressive,” he said.
Losciale also voted against Proposition C.
“I don’t see why people don’t want government help,” he said. “We believe in altruism but not when it comes to money.”
Losciale said the country needs serious health care reform and feels that the state proposition is a step backwards and a “pause in the conversation.”
PRIMARY ELECTIONS: Missouri’s 9th Congressional District
Voters will go to the polls today to cast ballots in the state’s primary elections. These elections will decide which candidates will represent their party in the November general elections. Voters will choose candidates in the 9th district of Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican, represents this district, covering central and northeast Missouri. He is challenged by two Republicans and two Libertarian candidates. Here’s a little more about each candidate:
Republican Blaine Luetkemeyer
Hometown: St. Elizabeth
Education: bachelor’s degree in political science from Lincoln University
Personal: Married to Jackie Luetkemeyer, three children and one grandchild
Occupation: Incumbent, U.S. House of Representatives
Website: http://www.blaineforcongress.com
According to CQ Politics, Luetkemeyer has an excellent chance of winning the election, but he remains cautious.
“We take every race very seriously — while our chances look good, we’re not taking it for granted,” he said in an interview last week.
Luetkemeyer said people are concerned about three things; the economy, the way the nation is governed and U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
In his first term in Congress, Luetkemeyer voted with his party 97 percent of the time. He is against abortion rights, and opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and same-sex marriage. He said his ideas and beliefs are a good fit for the district.
“We are doing the things we need to connect with the people, that’s what it’s all about is listening to people,” he said. “We have done that in the past and will continue to do that in the future.”
Republican James Baker
Hometown: St. Peters
Education: bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Missouri- St. Louis, masters degree in applied teaching from Lindenwood University
Personal: Married to RitaJo Baker, seven children, 12 grandchildren
Occupation: small business owner
Website: http://www.jamesobaker4congress.com
On his website, Baker said he wants to follow in their footprints of the founding fathers. Baker, a Christian, calls abortion “the most pressing issue in our country.”
Baker supports drilling off the U.S. coastline, and is for strict controls on immigration. He did not return multiple requests for comment on his campaign.
Libertarian Christopher Dwyer
Hometown: Hallsville
Education: high school graduate
Personal: married to Maxine Dwyer, two sons
Occupations: farmer, landlord, McDonald’s employee
Website: http://dwyerforcongress.com
“Here’s who I am,” Dwyer said of his campaign on his website. “You’re either going to like what I stand for or you don’t.”
He says the biggest issue facing Missouri and the nation is job creation. Dwyer is an advocate for abolishing the progressive tax, saying it “punishes success”.
Dwyer said in an interview last week that he is a better candidate than incumbent Luetkemeyer.
“He does not have faith in the free market system,” he said. “He claimed we were in historic debt and in the same period voted 3 million worth of funding to inform people that volunteering is good. When we have people unemployed, I have a problem with that.”
Wilson said he will follow his beliefs if elected.
“You can’t please everybody all the time, you just have to do what you believe is the right thing to do: what’s best for the United States.”
Libertarian Steve Wilson
Hometown: Westphilia
Education: bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tennessee Tech University
Personal: single, no children
Occupation: construction worker and artist
Website: http://www.wilsonforcongress.blogspot.com
Libertarian Steve Wilson said he wants to update the U.S. Constitution if elected.
“The constitution is a social contract that belongs to the living,” he said in an interview last week.
He said the Constitution has become a weapon for a small number of people. Wilson is also an advocate for making Puerto Rico a state and abolishing the Federal Reserve. He said it’s not about jobs, but about debt.
Wilson respects Leutkemeyer, but says he considers himself a stronger candidate.
“I can respect him, he is a man of god, but I think he has proven when he has a chance to fight for people he doesn’t step up, he serves the bank and the party,” he said.
Wilson wants voters to focus on the idea that government is run by the voters.
“Its not just the select few,” he said. “People need to understand it’s their civic duty to get involved.”
2010 Missouri primaries: The ballot
U.S. Senate nominations
Democratic nomination
Robin Carnahan
Francis Vangeli
Richard Tolbert
Republican nomination
Roy Blunt
Chuck Purgason
R.L. Praprotnik
Kristi Nichols
Davis Conway
Hector Maldonado
Deborah Solomon
Mike Vontz
Tony Laszacs
Libertarian nomination
Jonathan Dine
Cisse Spragins
Constitutional nomination
Joe Martellaro
Jerry Beck
Mike Simmons
U.S. Representative nominations
Democratic nomination
Christopher Dwyer
Steven Wilson
Republican nomination
Blaine Luetkemeyer
James Baker
State representatives for Columbia districts
Democratic nomination
Stephen Webber
Republican nomination
Paul Szopa
Democratic nomination
Chris Kelly
Republican nomination
Laura Nauser
District 25
Democratic nomination
Mary Still
Live Blog: 2010 Missouri primaries
Follow our coverage of today's primary elections and other ballot measures, including Proposition C, live as we keep you updated throughout the day and night.