Two veteran political reporters say it’s difficult to tell how much impact the debates will have on the Democratic gubernatorial primary, but they say the race right now is close. Governor Bob Holden and State Auditor Claire McCaskill have met in back-to-back debates. Public opinion polls show a tight race, within the margin of error. Kansas City Star political reporter Steve Kraske says the debate will have some impact. Kraske wonders, though, how many actually listened to the debates and how many Missourians only listened, read or watched coverage of them. St. Louis Post-Dispatch political reporter Jo Mannies discounts any long term impact. Mannies does say the debates fleshed out issues that we will hear as the campaigns go on.
