Races of the week: Akin vs. House

Missouri's 2nd District

Akin vs. House

Even in an era when big money and massive media purchases are considered the predominant factors in politics, old-fashioned shoe leather and strong beliefs sometimes are enough to bring victory to a candidate.

That was the case in Missouri's 2nd District (Greater St. Louis) this year, when Republicans nominated a successor to outgoing Rep. Jim Talent, now the GOP gubernatorial candidate. One contender had worked for the popular congressman. Two others not only raised major dollars, but each put $100,000 of his own money into the campaign.

"And how much of my own money did I use?" asked State Rep. Todd Akin, the fourth candidate. "About zero. But we did raise about $360,000, all but about $3,500 of it from individuals rather than political action committees. Sure, a number of people who contributed to me gave the legal maximum donation [$1,000]. But the overwhelming number of donors were in the $25-to-$50 range. We had a lot of people who volunteered and worked very hard. And we had a solidly conservative message."

It is a message the 53-year-old Akin has long delivered. In 12 years in the state legislature, he never voted for a tax increase. He promises to do the same in Congress, believing that as government grows bigger, individual liberty is threatened, and that if something wasn't in the Constitution, beware of it.

And guess what? The message of no taxes, more liberty, and the Constitution emerged triumphant. By a slim 56 votes, Akin edged the field and topped the better-funded, better-known fran rer, who had previously served as St. Louis County executive and had run for the U.S. Senate and governor.

From Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Patrick Kennedy (R.I.) on down to the party leaders in the Show-Me State, the 2nd District is now a prize to be pursued. Given the fractious nature of the Republican primary and the victory of the GOP's most conservative contender, Kennedy & Co. reason that their standard-bearer can pick up the pieces and put the House seat in the Democratic column for the first time in eight years.

And they have a candidate who is said to fit the district. State Sen. Ted House, a onetime aide to Rep. Ike Skelton (D.-Mo.), is almost always identified as a "conservative Democrat" because of his pro-life and pro2nd Amendment stands.

Todd Akin chuckles when he reads references to the 41-year-old House as a "conservative:'

"We came to the legislature the same year [1988], so it's pretty easy to contrast our records," says Akin. "In 1993, he voted for #380, the largest tax increase without voter approval in Missouri history. Not only did I vote against it, but I hired an attorney and fought that increase all the way to the state Supreme Court [Akin v. Loman]. When I say I'm against any tax increases, I mean it."

Akin's condemnation of House for his support of #380 goes beyond simply increasing taxes. As the GOP hopeful noted, the tax package `hot only froze finding for major school districts, but included finding for such nontraditional and outlandish schemes as Outcome Based Education and School-to-Work-things I will fight with every fiber of my being!"

Would Akin also support abolishing the U.S. Department of Education if in Congress? "Sure," he says without missing a beat. "It's a centralizing scheme that wastes money that could be going to local school districts. And federal oversight of education is not in the Constitution."

An engineer, U.S. Army veteran and father of six, Akin cites his long experience working for IBM and other companies before he entered politics "as a major difference between my opponent and me. He worked for a congressman and managed some campaigns before he came to the legislature. Maybe because I had a good deal of real-life experience, I'm very reluctant to spend other people's money and he isn't:'

Bearing him out, House is rated a mediocre 17% by the National Federation of Independent Business while Akin scores a perfect 100%. Moreover, Akin's support comes primarily from individuals. House, in the GOP nominee's words, "lists page after page of donations from Big Labor, beginning with the AFL-CIO, and has the backing of the National Education Association."

Obviously, there is a big difference between the major party candidates in Missouri's 2nd District. "And some folks can say that because he's against abortion and gun control that somehow means [House] is a conservative;' says Todd Akin. "Well, I'm pro-life and against gun control, and my first vote will be for a speaker of the House and committee chairmen who share my views. His first vote will be for Dick Gephardt for speaker, one of the biggest enemies of the two positions on which he makes his claim to be a conservative. That says it all."

(Akin for Congress, PO. Box 31222, St. Louis, MO 63131; 314-576-7983) Wisconsin's U.S. Senate Race

Gillespie vs. Kohl

Jules Verne's final novel, Master of the World, is the saga of Robur-wealthy industrialist, brilliant inventor, and committed pacifist. Robur designs and builds a mighty airship The Albatross-a genuine wonder, given that this is the 19th Century and no nation has such a vessel: So much does he hate war that Robur traverses the globe in The Albatross, demanding that the major powers disarm and scuttle their navies. When they refuse, he unleashes bombs from the, air that destroy the British fleet and its sister vessels throughout Europe. Thus Verne portrays the irony and the danger of absolute power: With the most powerful warship of all, Robur deploys the weapons of war and creates carnage to achieve the abolition of what he deplores. In the end, only the forces of nature can stop the self styled "Master of the World."