The Darkest before the Dawn

With only 5 days left until the votes are in, we can see light at the end of the tunnel. But, as is often said, we are going through the darkest part of night, until the dawn. Not only is there a very high level of voter fatigue in the most contested races, but the last minute mudslinging has begun.

While American voters say they don't like negative politics, there is evidence that it does work. Most campaigns refrain from such tactics, unless the need arises out of desperation. In the two most hotly contested races in the city, we see plenty of mudslinging.

State Representative Robin Wright-Jones in her bid against state Representative Rodney Hubbard for the 5th district state Senate seat, both through her campaign and through independent expenditures of PACs is attempting to smear Hubbard. The most notable of the accusations is that Hubbard voted for passage of a bill that Wright-Jones herself, and her supporters, voted for. These last-minute attempts via mail are unlikely to sway the minds of voters, who in polls, have shown an overwhelming preference for Hubbard. Also, in the old days of campaigning such baseless attacks would go unanswered as there would be no time for a response, but in these new media days, such antiquated tactics will not work.

Heir apparent in the 67th district state Representative race, Mike Colona, is no stranger to such attacks such as those leveled by 10th ward blogger/gad-fly, Christian Herman, that Colona encouraged candidates to enter his race. Colona's campaign has made it clear that Colona not only did not encourage any of his competitors to enter the race, but has never met, nor seen, the one in question. And now, Retta Crawford, stalwart anti-Steve Gregali rabble-rouser, has paid for a last-minute mailing extolling Colona's client base in the legal industry of adult entertainment. Not only does this client of Colona's represent less than .05% of his total client-base, but the biased information being floated by these misinformation campaigns also leave out Colona's extensive work over the past 15 years fighting insurance companies on behalf of patients whose claims have been denied. Also absent from the mailing is that the St. Louis Policie Officers Association and the National Educator's Association (teachers) have endorsed
Colona.

Misinformation, half-truths and blatant lies are the calling cards of candidates that are behind in races. I suppose the adage that desperate times call for desperate measures holds true more now than ever.