JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Democrats in the Senate will be faced with a tough decision after this year’s general election. The small minority caucus is somewhat split, and a new minority leader will likely be determined by the potential election of new members.
Sen. Paul LeVota of Kansas City and Sen. Joseph Keaveny of St. Louis have both confirmed to The Missouri Times that they are seeking the post of minority leader. But in a caucus as small as theirs, whipping votes for support isn’t always easy or prudent.
“I’ve clarified to some folks that I’m interested, but that’s where I’ve stopped,” LeVota, who also leads the campaign wing of Senate Democrats, said. “We’ve got to get some people elected and that’s where all of our focus needs to be. You can’t run an effective campaign and focus on getting out the support for your fellow members if you’re running around and twisting arms on a vote for something like that.”
LeVota said he hadn’t yet gauged support for his bid with Democratic senate candidates Jill Schupp and Jeff Roorda, even though some members say they’ll be the deciding votes if elected. Roorda and Schupp, along with Ed Schieffer, are all hoping to add to the Democrat’s numbers in the Senate. While Schieffer’s bid is considered a long shot, Schupp and Roorda are both locked into races that will almost certainly remain razor thin.
“Election day could very well impact the leader’s race,” Sen. Scott Sifton said.
Sifton didn’t comment on whether he’d already made a decision in the race, but did say that he believed the current caucus vote was close enough for a few new members to rock the boat.
“We’re basically split right now,” Sen. Jamilah Nasheed said. “I know who I’m supporting, but I’ve decided to keep that close, as not to cause any issues or problems as we move forward on things we are united on. But right now, the support for both is fairly even, so [Keaveny and LeVota] need to be talking to Jeff and Jill if they want it bad.”
Keavney said he felt he had the necessary qualifications and the respect from his colleagues to serve as a minority leader. Democrats and Republicans in the upper chamber ended veto session on a tense note after a protracted attempt at a filibuster by Democrats of the controversial abortion bill.
“I haven’t put a lot of pressure on anybody to support me yet,” Keavney said. “I still have to be re-elected of course, and there’s still a lot of time to decide and get our votes in order.”
Keavney said he’d “broached the subject” of minority leader with Schupp, but that he hadn’t asked for a commitment, and that he had not yet approached Roorda, and neither candidate has publicly declared a preference. Democrats will meet sometime shortly after the general election in a centrally located part of the state yet-to-be-determined to officially elect their next minority leader.
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
