The first debate between Governor Bob Holden and his challenger in the Democratic primary on August 3rd, State Auditor Claire McCaskill will take place at 7:00 p.m., Monday, in Kansas City. The campaign this summer has been marked with charges and counter-charges of how each candidate has distorted the record of the other. Both Holden and McCaskill says the debates to be held in Kansas City tonight and St. Louis tomorrow night will give them a chance to set the record straight. Holden says he has the endorsement of rank-and-file Missourians, but McCaskill says it was everyday Democrats who encouraged her to run in the first place.
McCaskill says she has seen some recent polling that shows she has cut Holden’s lead from double digits to within just a few points, and she hopes the debates will help put her over the top in the race for who will represent the Democrats when they square off against presumptive Republican nominee Secretary of State Matt Blunt. McCaskill says if she wins on August 3rd, she expects the Governor will campaign for her in the November election. And she says if she loses the primary, she will vigorously campaign for Holden because she feels it is most important to have a Democrat in the governor’s seat. Holden says he’s looking forward to McCaskill’s support and would only say he’d look at options should he lose the primary… something he’s not expecting to happen.
Monday night’s debate will be webcast on The Kansas City Channel.
