Democrat Robin Carnahan never gained traction in her race against Republican Roy Blunt, losing her Senate race by the most lopsided margin in Missouri since 1994.
Democrat Robin Carnahan lost to Republican Roy Blunt by 14-points, the most lopsided race in Missouri for United States Senate since 1994, when Senator John Ashcroft won re-election against Democrat Alan Wheat. Could a Democrat have won the race this year, when a Republican wave swept the nation?
“I think anything is possible, but I don’t think it was possible when you have $8 or $9 million from outside interests come dumped in our state,” Carnahan tells the Missourinet. “You know, if it had been a head-to-head fight with me and Congressman Blunt, I think we would have given him quite a run at this. But it’s hard when you have a lot of these outside, very wealthy interests who don’t really have Missouri’s interests at heart.”
Carnahan complains about a flood of outside money in the US Senate race. As for the campaigns themselves, Blunt raised $1.3 million more dollars than Carnahan; $10.9 million to $9.6 million. Groups such as the US Chamber of Commerce and American Crossroads poured money into the campaign as well. Once the polls show Carnahan behind, money from the national Democratic Party dried up.
“It’s not just in Missouri, but all over the country that these outside special interests have just swamped a lot of these races. It’s not just Missouri,” Carnahan says.
Did her campaign get swamped by the national move toward Republicans?
“Or course,” she says. “There’s no doubt about it.”
