U.S. Senate Candidates Akin and Brunner Mixed It Up In Oakville

Missouri’s senior U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Deomcrat, will face a conservative Republican for her seat in November. The question is, which one?

Will it be U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, a representative since 2001 who is giving up his congressional seat to run for the senate, or St. Louis businessman John Brunner?

Both Akin and Brunner were at a GOP forum Thursday night, at the Cliff Cave branch of the St. Louis County Library. More than 100 folks came out on the frigid evening to the event sponsored by the Tesson Ferry Township Republican Club.

Each candidate running for office had five minutes to make his or her case. Akin and Brunner were first on the docket.

Akin's stump speech excoriates the national budget.

“Everything we think of as federal government, right now is being financed by debt,” he said.

He said as a former engineer, he thinks in terms of fixing problems, and cited what he described as his principles.

• Not artificially dividing Americans against each other.
• Being honest with Americans, that the programs promised can’t continue forever.
• God created each of us with a purpose, and there’s dignity in fulfilling that.
• “Victims” want us to support them, and that group is growing, which is wrong.

On the other hand, Brunner began by telling everyone he learned valuable leadership lessons as an officer in the U.S. Marines. He currently is chairman of a St. Louis manufacturing firm.

“I came into the plant floor, on the production line, driving the fork lifts, loading the trucks,” he said about his experience. “I know what it’s like to get a manufacturing team together.”

He said when his family hit tough times they pulled together and grew the company from 80 to 1,400 associates or employees.

He said his work experiences would help him better create jobs than a career politician.

“I’ll match my experience as a manufacturer and a job creator against a politician that’s borrowing and spending anytime,” Brunner said.

Sarah Steeleman was invited, but was stranded out-of-town in the snowy weather.

Also appearing at Thursday's GOP forum were:

U.S. Congress Missouri’s 2nd District candidates

• Ed Martin
• Ann Wagner
• Randy Jotte Read about Jotte's potential candidacy on Patch

Missouri Statehouse

• Gary Fuhr (lost his district due to re-drawn districts, will step aside)
• Mike Leara, representative for Crestwood, Sunset Hills, Concord
• Cloria Brown, representative for Mehlville, Green Park and Lemay
• Marsha Haefner, representative from Oakville
• John McCaherty, representative for High Ridge, Murphy, Fenton
• Cole McNary, representative for Chesterfield, running for state treasurer.