KANSAS CITY, Mo. — President Barack Obama is set to accept the Democratic nomination for another term as President on Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. – but the party’s U.S. senator for Missouri won’t be there to watch.
Instead, Sen. Claire McCaskill will be at the University of Missouri, Kansas City on Thursday night as she continues her state-wide tour touting affordable college loans for students.
McCaskill, in a tough reelection fight against Republican Todd Akin, says that she has never gone to a convention when she’s had a race because of something her mom told her back in 1992.
“You stay here and work, you don’t go to a convention where you hang out with lobbyists and donors,” said McCaskill. “You stay and work.”
According to polls, she may have a lot of work to do. According to a new poll from Public Policy Polling, she leads Akin by a single percentage point – 45-44 – three weeks after Akin’s controversial comments about rape and pregnancy.
“This race is going to be about who can look after Missouri families, who’s proud to be a moderate and who thinks that’s a dirty word, who has extreme postions outside the mainstream and who is a good ol fashioned compromiser who wants us to solve problems, and not shout at each other politically,” said McCaskill.
Akin told KTVI-TV in St. Louis that the differences between he and McCaskill are “vivid.”
“They’re going to have to make a decision, the path,” said Akin. “The way I voted has been for more jobs, more freedom, less big government, less taxes and a bright hope.”
