Brunner (AP Photo via KC Star)
— Days after a relatively cordial debate in St. Joseph early Friday morning, Republican U.S. Senate contenders Sarah Steelman and John Brunner are still feuding over the issue of missed votes.
On stage at the debate, Steelman blasted Brunner for not voting in 2004 during the election in which the state’s constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage was on the ballot. On stage, Brunner responded that “every vote I have ever taken has been in support of marriage.”
Off stage, the conversation elevated into a heated back and forth between the campaigns in dueling press releases. The Steelman campaign, for example, criticized Brunner for voting in only seven of the 12 major elections since 2000, and took a precarious jab at Brunner on the issue of religion.
“Only now that Brunner is running for Senate does he have an interest in issues that many conservatives and Christians have been fighting for decades,” said Steelman spokesperson Katie LaPotin. “The main responsibility of a United States Senator is to cast votes on issues critical to our economy, the defense and our families. If John Brunner didn’t care enough to show up and vote before, how can we count on him to actually show up and vote for us in the future?”
The Brunner campaign, in an aggressive response, said they are more than happy to have a discussion about missed votes. The campaign claimed that Steelman, during her term as state treasurer, missed nearly half of her votes while serving on the board of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System. Additionally, continuing their effort to frame Steelman as beholden to the interests of trial attorneys, the campaign said Steelman missed key votes on changes to the state’s tort laws during her time as a state Senator.
“In 2004 Sarah Steelman ducked — apparently Steelman skipped the tort reform vote to preserve her close relationship with the trial attorneys,” said Brunner’s communications director Todd Abrajano. “If Steelman’s history as an elected official is any predictor of future behavior, voters should have little doubt that she will be another career politician and unreliable voice for Missourians in the U.S. Senate.”
Todd Akin, the other Republican seeking the nomination, has been left mostly unscathed by most of the post-debate bickering. His campaign remained silent Tuesday, even after the Steelman campaign aimed new criticism in his direction over his use of earmarks.
The three are delving into what looks to be a heated primary battle over the summer. The winner will face Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.