America’s Uncle Joe came to St Louis on Friday afternoon to rally support for Jason Kander. The Democrats have a very good change of picking up this seat in Missouri and sending Roy Blunt back home….to Georgetown.
This seat may have seemed like a long-shot to those not paying close attention, especially those out of state, but Jason Kander's campaign has caught fire and now has the national attention (and support) it deserves. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recently announced it will be focusing on Missouri and spending money helping Kander.
A packed-to-capacity crowd of 2,000+ filled The Pageant Theater on Friday afternoon. The first guy in line, a veteran, got there at 8:30am (doors opened at 2pm).
The opening speakers reflected the values and ideas on which Jason is running: making the middle class stronger, improving education and valuing teachers, fighting for a living wage, supporting unions, and protecting and furthering rights for women.
Cathy Jenkins, of Cathy’s Kitchen spoke eloquently about how Jason visited her restaurant in Ferguson before the city’s name became a one-word euphemism for racial injustice in America. And how he was there immediately after. And continues to be there.
Joe Biden gave a rousing speech espousing Democratic and middle class ideals and lending credence to this race as both critical and winnable.
From the St Louis Post-Dispatch:
Vice President Joe Biden on Friday unofficially sanctified Missouri’s Senate race as a nationally urgent toss-up, telling a St. Louis audience that Democrat Jason Kander is a good example of a new “Greatest Generation” that will restore optimism to America.
Biden was very complimentary of millennials in general and Jason Kander in particular:
“Jason and I grew up a thousand miles away and decades apart, but he and I grew up in the same neighborhood….Jason gets what this country is all about.”
FiveThirtyEight gives Kander a 60.8% chance of winning;
Real Clear Politics has Blunt +1, essential a tie;
The Cook Report has moved Missouri to “Toss Up” Status as has Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Ten more days. Let’s do this! CLICK HERE to get involved — knock on doors, make phone calls, help GOTV. Let’s leave it all on the field.
Live outside the area and can’t help in person? CLICK HERE TO DONATE. The “contribute” button will take you to the secure ActBlue donation page. The Koch Brothers and other outside big money groups are pouring money into Roy Blunt’s campaign. Every single adult member of Blunt’s family is a lobbyist — groups like the Koch brothers are desperate to keep him in office.
Read what Nate Silver says about this race here
Read more polling info here
Read more about Jason Kander here