No enthusiasm gap in Lee's Summit today as a big chunk of the Missouri Republican Party's statewide ballot showed up to rally local supporters.
Around 200 Republicans packed the GOP office for a 3 p.m. rally to both cheer their candidates and jeer their Democratic opponents.
Among the Democrats getting the most enthusiastic thumbs-down from the crowd was U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill who's seeking a second term this fall against Republican nominee Todd Akin. Every time he name was mentioned, the crowd recoiled.
A congressman, Akin didn't show Tuesday. But Dave Spence, the party's candidate for governor did. So did lieutenant governor nominee (and incumbent) Peter Kinder, Secretary of State nominee Shane Schoeller, treasurer candidate Cole McNary, and Jacob Turk, the 5th District congressional contender.
Each candidate ran through about a five-minute stump speech. Spence complained that Nixon only worries about his poll numbers and is distorting the state's true economic predicament.
"Just because the budget is $24 billion doesn't mean we have to spend $24 billion," he said to applause.
Kinder emphasized the need to overturn the new federal health care law and the role he played in attempting to do just that.
Schoeller, who faces Kansas City Democrat Jason Kander, the state rep, stressed his support for the photo ID law. "When people believe their vote counts, people show up," Schoeller said.
McNary asked, "Does anyybody here trust a liberal" to handle the state checkbook? He was referring to incumbent Democrat Clint Zweifel.
State Sen. Will Kraus, a Lee's Summit Republican, the event emcee, led the crowd in a chant of "Obama must go!" to end the rally. GOPers expressed a lot of gusto in that sentiment.
In an interview afterwards, Turk refused to embraced the budget plan of vice-presidential candidate of Paul Ryan, saying essentially that the point was moot because it's the Mitt Romney budget plan that will matter.
Turk, who's running for the fourth time against Democrat Emanuel Cleaver, said the priority for the next Congress is cutting spending, and he ruled out any possibility of backing a tax increase to reduce the deficit.
The GOP tour continues today in Springfield and the St. Louis area.
