In the end, it was not even close.
St. Louis County Councilman Steve Stenger won 66 percent of the vote to capture the Democratic nomination for county executive over incumbent Charlie Dooley.
With hundreds of cheering supporters on hand at the Sheraton Clayton Plaza, Stenger was beaming in the wake of his lopsided win.
“This is a big night for the county. We heard it at campaign events. We heard it all over the county. We heard that it was time for change,” Stenger said. "We presented our vision of the future of St. Louis County.”
Stenger’s win will end Dooley’s 11-year run as county executive and, most likely, his political career of more than three decades.
“We just could not pull it across the finish line,” Dooley told supporters who gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport in Bridgeton. “The voters have spoken, and I accept it.”
As several people shouted “We love you, Charlie,” Dooley wished the best for his opponent in the bitter primary race.
“I don’t want to be an obstacle," he said. "I support all good Democrats. I wish Steve Stenger well."
Stenger also praised Dooley’s service of more than 35 years.
In an interview shortly before Dooley’s concession, Stenger said it’s time “to start thinking about November.”
Stenger will take on Republican Rick Stream, who soundly defeated challenger Tony Pousosa in the GOP primary.
Both candidates were already campaigning on Wednesday morning, when they appeared on FOX 2.
“I was overwhelmed by the support; I think it transcended politics,” Stenger said of his wide margin of victory.
He said he hoped the November race would be “a campaign of ideas and what we see as the future of St. Louis County.”
If elected, Stenger said his first order of business would be “a top-to-bottom audit” of St. Louis County government to “see where we can save taxpayer dollars.”
Stream said his first priority would be to “bring jobs back to St. Louis County.”
“People need to go back to work. We need to work make sure that people in St. Louis County can improve their lives.”
Stream said a large number of Republicans took Democratic ballots “to vote against Charlie Dooley... We know that they will be coming back to me. People in St. Louis County want to see real change. They are tired of corruption and no job growth.”
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
The proposed constitutional amendment that would have upped the state sales tax ¾-cent to fund transportation was thrashed, with almost 60 percent of voters rejecting the ballot measure. A proposed amendment to create funding for veterans through the sale of lottery tickets was also failed.
Amendment 1, called the Right to Farm amendment, narrowly passed, by less than 3,000 votes. With more than 995,000 ballots cast statewide, however, there is a chance for a recount. Amendment 5, which supporters say reiterates the U.S. Constitution’s right to bear arms, won easily, as did Amendment 9, which supporters say enhanced protection of electronic-privacy rights.
OTHER POLITICAL RACES
Sharon Carpenter, who resigned from her post as recorder of deeds last month, after she admitted violating a nepotism statute, easily won the Democratic primary for the same office with 68 percent of the vote. This sets up a showdown with independent candidate Jennifer Florida, who collected enough signatures to secure a place on the November ballot.
Mayor Francis Slay is a longtime Carpenter supporter and backed her in the primary over Jimmie Matthews and Ed McFowland. But Slay also appointed Florida to finish Carpenter’s term following her resignation. He has not announced whom he will support between Carpenter and Florida.
Another Slay-backed candidate lost in his effort to win the Democratic primary for license collector. Mavis Thompson—who was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to fill the remaining term of Mike McMillan, after he left the office to become president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis—narrowly topped Alderman Jeffrey Boyd.
