Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, a Republican in a bitter re-election fight against Democratic challenger State Rep. Sam Page, has announced the support of several black religious leaders.
Kinder has been campaigning in St. Louis’ black community as much, if not more, than any other statewide candidate this season — Democrat or Republican.
This summer he marched at the front of the line in the historic Call to Oneness march through the streets of north St. Louis.
The march, which sought to call attention to the violence plaguing the city’s streets, drew more than 20,000 black men and very few white politicians. Kinder, a Republican from southwest southeast Missouri, was there even when the city’s own mayor, Francis Slay, was not.
Kinder support of economic development and education reform has also earned him the support of several prominent black business and education leaders, many of whom have thrown fundraisers for Kinder here in St. Louis, like the one we covered back in April. That event featured a host committee that included several well-known black Democrats, including St. Louis Argus Publisher Eddie Hasan, developer Tony Thompson, attorney Rufus Tate, and Sal Martinez, among others.
There were also several Democrats in attendance, including Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr.; Tom Shepard, chief of staff for Aldermanic President Lewis Reed; former State Rep. Betty Thompson; and former alderman and Anheuser-Busch executive Wayman Smith.
In this video, Smith jokingly compared the African-American turnout at Kinder’s fundraiser to those Barack Obama regularly draws.
The ministers that announced their support for Kinder this week include:
- Rev. Ronald Bobo of West Side Missionary Baptist Church
- Rev. Kevin Kosh of Union Memorial United Methodist Church
- Bishop Anthony Taylor of New Hope Worship Center
- Rev. Rev Grant Hughes of Bethlehem M.B. Church
- Rev. Ken McKoy
Democrat Sam Page, who has less cash on hand than Kinder, is hoping to ride the coattails gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon. Page is also hoping to benefit from the very high turnout expected among black voters because of presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Page has been attacking Kinder hard on radio and television and his latest TV ad may have hit a nerve. KY3’s David Catanese caught up with a pretty pissed off Kinder to ask him about Page’s charges.
A recent Post-Dispatch/KMOV poll showed Kinder leading Page 49 percent to 40 percent.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Quick correction that Peter Kinder is from southeast Missouri.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:19 PM
So what if he marched so did my dog Mr.Big should he run write in? St Louis Ministers historically jump in when there is a camera. Kinder is being funded by the same takeover machine that funded Hubbard and others in MO Paul Mckee(Mceagle) and Rex Sinquefield. They have their hands in both parties pants but the jerk’s on you.
P.S.
Jeff/Cherokee neighborhood you’re next check your assessors records. Are you getting letter of interest? Mckee seems has a sweet tooth for brick homes.
October 29th, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Utube- Kinder the Khameleon, don’t be a “Dumb Farm Animal” (Kinder talking about Dems)! The Hitler thing he said, just wrong.
October 29th, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Unbelievable how so called black “democrats” in the city of St, Louis are jumping ship to Kinder’s side for a paycheck. Since Peter Kinder says that Barack Obama would be “The hardest left candidate ever nominated for president of the United States”, can we assume then that these fine religious leaders don’t support Barack Obama as well? Petey also claims that Obama’s so called tax increases will would hurt Missourians already struggling with out-of-control health care costs. Wait a minute. Didn’t Petey supporting the 2005 Medicaid cuts that eliminated medical coverage for 90,604 low-income residents and opposed research on early stem cells? Don’t blame Barack for your own unraveling Petey. St. Louis city citizens, some of your black leaders have sold-out on you and have decided that fattening their own pockets is more important than doing what is right for you, which is electing Sam Page for Lt. Governor. your right Petey. “Every Dollar Does Count.” And since you like to use yours to pay off others to keep you in office since you have done nothing but hurt yourself since your election in ‘04. It is time for your run in public office to end. And in closing, I guess that we can assume that this blog doesn’t work to get “good” people elected to office, since your obviously not trying to get Sam Page elected to office…
October 29th, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Your dog is probably registered to vote in the City, so why not a shot at public office? He couldn’t do any worse that most of the dopes we elect anyway.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:00 PM
And why are we reposting a story that happened in June? Six days left before the election and this is the only story that can be found to write upon in the State of Missouri? And where are the pictures of Sam Page at? I think everybody can see what is going on here…”Green Pride”…
October 29th, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Bill, not everyone is for sale. I have not received one red cent from Peter Kinder’s campaign. He doesn’t even advertise on this site. I wrote about the story because it’s newsworthy. A Republican campaigning hard in black areas is being rewarded with black support. That’s a story all day long.
Now you can accuse those people of taking money, but I’ve seen no evidence of that — unless you’re talking about the money Kinder has helped put into Harris Stowe University, or the money he’s helped steer to development projects involving minority contractors like Kwame Building Group.
And while you’re accusing black Democrats of taking money in exchange for their praise of Kinder, perhaps you’ll also throw some of those rocks in the direction of St. Louis mayor, who last I checked was both white and a proclaimed Democrat. Last month, he all but endorsed Kinder in a letter he wrote to the St. Louis Business Journal entitled “Kinder supports St. Louis”.
Read it and tell me what you think: http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/09/22/editorial4.html
October 30th, 2008 at 8:25 AM
What about Kinder sponsoring Paul McKee’s Distressed Area Land Assemblage Tax Credit, which has stalled development and produced many avoidable demolitions in predominately black neighborhoods?
Someone I know spoke to Peter Kinder when talk of this legislation came about. He more or less said that the northside nieghborhoods in St. Louis have had their chance and it’s time to move one. He refused to admit that many areas now seeing revitalization are having progress stalled because McKee is buying up all the buildings and letting them crumble.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Thanks, Antonio…
I appreciate your not jumping on the “band waggon” by bashing Kinder just because so many think they’re supposed to do so.
I think way too many people just go on what others say without reading the facts beforehand and because this year is supposed to be the year of the “Big D,” Page is automatically supposed to be a saint because he’s Democrat. He’s far from perfect….way far….and if people, just for once realized that just b/c it’s on the internet or on t.v. that it’s not necessarily true; that would be a proud day in American politics.
Page has run a few attack ads against Kinder that are so false it’s almost comical…if Page can not win on his own merit; then he DOES NOT deserve to be Lt. Governor. In addition, if he’s already lying to the public before he ever gets into office; imagine what he’d pull before if he were to ever win…I vote independent, but at least for the Lt. Gov race…it’s the big R!! I have seen what Kinder has actually done for Missouri; what has Page done but lie and act like a toddler not getting his way when he sees he’s losing…GROW UP PAGE!!!
October 30th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Kinder doesn’t seem very confident of victory in that video…
October 30th, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Sure your not “riding Peter Kinder’s tire swing” Antonio?
http://blog.showmeprogress.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1904
Maybe Mayor Slay is endorsing Kinder’s work in St. Louis, but he also says that is voting the ticket as well. Maybe the mayor is just trying to get back on the good side of some of his opponents…
November 11th, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Black democrats sold out their constituency a long time ago, especially minority owned and operated business!