Having won five of the six statewide offices, Democrats now take direct aim at taking back the General Assembly, choosing a former member of the legislature as their new chairman.
Former State Representative Craig Hosmer of Springfield has left his post as Greene County Democratic Party Chairman to become State Chairman. Hosmer says his perspective from a traditionally Republican part of the state will help him guide the party. He says he has learned in Springfield that policy matters; that voters will choose the Democratic side if Democrats have the money and candidates to articulate them.
This election year proved successful for Democrats, who now hold five of the six statewide offices, but they fell far short of their goal of taking back the Missouri House and making inroads in the Senate. Democrats gained a net of only three seats in the House and lost three in the Senate. That left them very much in the minority in the state legislature, which will have a profound impact on what Governor-elect Jay Nixon is able to push next year.
Hosmer has heard the critics who say Democrats failed to take advantage of an election in which everything seemed to be going their way. He says there is some truth to that, but he is quick to counter that the critics forget one thing. Democrats in 2010 will have a governor to campaign on the behalf of state representative and senate candidates as well as a Democratic president who can rally the base on behalf of Democratic candidates.
Hosmer served as a state representative in Springfield. When he failed to when a bid for the Senate, he became Greene County Democratic Party Chairman. Hosmer served as the treasurer of Jay Nixon’s gubernatorial campaign and help Nixon win Greene County.
The Missouri Democratic Party also reelected Yolanda Wheat from Kansas City as Vice Chair, Shirla Howard of Dexter as Secretary, and Rod Anderson of Monett as Treasurer.
Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)
