Senator McCaskill says Missouri Democrats must do a better job of getting their message out and she hopes their new leader helps in that effort.

McCaskill denies she worked behind-the-scenes to maneuver former State Representative Craig Hosmer of Springfield out as chairman of the State Democratic Party and soon-to-be former state Auditor Susan Montee of St. Joseph in.

“Well, interestingly enough, the push for Susan Montee was not me and it wasn’t Governor Nixon,” McCaskill says. “It was really some of the grassroots Democrats across the state, the members of the state committee, who really felt like that Susan was someone who was responsive to them.”

Hosmer decided against running for re-election after the devastating losses Democrats suffered at the hands of Republicans November 2nd. The State Democratic Committee elected Susan Montee as the chairman to replace Hosmer. Montee is the state Auditor. She lost her re-election bid to Republican Tom Schweich.

McCaskill says Democrats in Missouri have failed to draw a contrast with Republicans. She says the party needs to recruit candidates ready to fight as good campaigners. And McCaskill says Democrats simply need to reach out.

“I think we’ve got to do a better job of reaching out in terms of making sure that everyone gets the information about what’s being talked about in the coffee shops and around people’s kitchen tables,” says McCaskill.

The health of the State Democratic Party is vitally important to McCaskill who is up for re-election in 2012.

AUDIO: Brent Martin reports [:60 MP3]