ST. LOUIS, Mo. — A race that was predicted to get bloody appears to be taking that very turn. St. Louis County Council member, Steve Stenger, began running ads on network and cable television today. The ads are aimed squarely at painting County Executive Charlie Dooley as both incompetent and corrupt.
Two pro-Stenger ads have popped up. The first features Stenger slamming Dooley’s move to close half the county parks during lean budget times. Stenger, standing in one of the parks in the ad, takes credit for identifying the mismanagement in funds and correcting the budget, keeping the parks open.
“As a CPA, I knew there was no budget crisis, just mismanagement,” Stenger says in the ad. “On the county council, I exposed it, balanced the budget, and kept the parks open. Charlie Dooley has been county executive for 10 years, and that’s long enough.”
A second, even harsher ad, calls out Dooley for the county FBI investigations that took place under his watch.
“It’s never happened before,” the ad’s voice over says. “Three investigations of the St. Louis County under Charlie Dooley.”
In a not-so-subtle jab at Dooley’s longtime reign, Stenger’s ad then dispatches St. Louis County Prosecutor, Bob McCulloch, to endorse Stenger for County Executive.
The two ads are Stenger’s first television ad blitz, a key component to the primary, which most expected to be especially brutal. Dooley, who has served for a decade as county executive, has name recognition and the support St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay.
Stenger, a CPA, is especially hopeful that the recent scandals plaguing Dooley’s office will send voters his way. Stenger also has the support of most of the organized labor in the region.
Dooley’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
