St. Louis election nights often become election mornings, with political candidates not knowing their respective fates until well after midnight. But Tuesday’s primary election came to its unofficial conclusion in about 60 minutes, between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.
After the polls closed at 7 p.m., Democratic treasurer candidate Tishaura Jones, her campaign manager and father, Virvus Jones, and campaign workers watched a laptop on the bar at The Wine Press in the Central West End. Jones trailed Alderman Fred Wessels by more than 200 votes, or about 1 percent of ballots counted. There were looks of concern, but not fear, as the buzz was “the North Side is coming in.” Jones was confident as she sipped a glass of red wine.
Several blocks east, at the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation Office, scores of supporters for Congressmen Lacy Clay were in a celebratory mood. Early returns showed the incumbent easily out-distancing fellow Democrat Russ Carnahan for the nomination for the House 1st Congressional District. By 10:20 p.m., Mayor Francis Slay took the stage to introduce the triumphant Clay, who led Carnahan 63 percent to 37 percent in a race that was never close.
In Rolla, Mo., local news programs had barely started when Sarah Steelman, the state treasurer and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, told supporters that her bid to take on incumbent Claire McCaskill in November was ending. In somewhat of a surprise, Rep. Todd Akin had taken an early lead and slowly built it to more than 6 percent over John Brunner and 7 percent over Steelman. Minutes later from the Sheraton in Clayton, Brunner also conceded. Akin would declare victory at 10:26 p.m., just as Clay was closing his remarks.
Meanwhile, at 10:08 p.m., the elder Jones raced outside to get his daughter. With 93 percent of votes counted, Tishaura Jones led Wessels 33.1 percent to 27.8 percent. While announcing the totals, Virvus Jones was visibly relieved and used his nickname for his daughter, Sugar. “They can’t catch us now,” he said.
With Kool and the Gang's “Celebration" playing, Jones was mobbed by well-wishers as she prepared to make a victory speech. “I’ve got to say first, 'Thank you, Dad,” she said, and they shared a warm hug. She dedicated her win to her late uncle Greg Carter, who was killed last week in a tragic truck accident while on the job for UPS.
During Jones' speech, her phone dinged. She delightfully told the crowd, “It’s the Post-Dispatch calling.” The Post had endorsed Wessels for the Democratic nomination, and the crowd laughed at the irony of the call’s timing.
Afterward, as Jones' supporters began leaving, she sipped a fresh glass of wine and smiled. “We got out in the streets. We touched voters," she said. "It was not about money and glossy ads. It was about hard work."
Jones' ads might hot have been glossy, but her face was aglow on a warm Tuesday night in St. Louis.
Commentary by Alvin Reid
