Stunning Democratic victory offers lessons in local political scenes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A campaign flier showed him pushing a big round bale of hay past an onlooking cow. His red-and-white signs featured farm animals -- a horse, sheep and pig -- absent the Democratic Party donkey.

As a longtime veterinarian in the state's second-leading cattle county, Charles "Doc" Dake rode his rural credentials to a stunning victory last week in Lawrence County, becoming only the second Democrat there in 70 years to win a state House race.

And he did it fairly comfortably, getting 55.5 percent of the vote against Republican insurance agent Eric Seifried.

Dake's Democratic victory in one of Missouri's most traditionally Republican counties sent political shock waves reverberating through Jefferson City.

State Democratic leaders say it portends good things for them in the 2006 elections. State Republican leaders, while downplaying the loss, have been calling their Lawrence County colleagues to try to figure out what happened.

What seems to have happened is that a fairly well-known veterinarian was able to win an election with personal campaigning, a key endorsement and a message that mixed his conservative beliefs with criticism of the health care cuts enacted in Jefferson City.

The special election in House District 132 offers some important lessons about local politics, even if the statewide implications are far less reaching.

The first lesson is that personal politics remains important in local races.

In this case, the 67-year-old Dake was aided by his 37 years of veterinarian house calls. Midnight trips to help ailing animals are not easily forgotten by farmers. Nor are the friendships that develop.

One of Dake's friends is retired professional football player Ed Weisacosky, the Republican sheriff of Lawrence County. For years, Dake cared for Weisacosky's horses and cattle. Their sons went to school together. So when it came down to backing a friend of the opposite party versus a stranger from the same political party, the choice was clear to Weisacosky.

The Republican sheriff gave his endorsement to the Democratic candidate and taped an automated phone call for Dake that rang in 5,500 homes the day before election.

"He's going to tell it like it is, and I like a person who's going to shoot straight -- and Charlie does," Weisacosky said of his friend.

Dake, meanwhile, spent his nights making phone calls while campaigning door-to-door during the day in blue jeans. Two previous losses in House races -- in 2002 and 1996 -- only added to Dake's name recognition.

Those efforts could help explain why voter turnout tipped toward Dake.

The Democratic veterinarian lives near Miller, a town of about 750 in northern Lawrence County. The Republican insurance agent comes from Aurora, a city of more than 7,000 in the southeast corner of the county. Those demographics should give the Republican the edge.

But just 14 percent of voters cast ballots in Aurora's two main precincts while 33 percent went to the polls in two northern precincts near Dake's hometown. Dake pulled nearly 80 percent support from his less-populated home base -- more than enough to offset Seifried's 60 percent home support.

"If you're a rural county with a 65-year-old veterinarian running, he makes a good candidate, because he knew enough to go around and get a few hundred people to vote," said Lawrence County Republican chairman Joe Patton, who had pushed unsuccessfully for his party committee to pick a well-known local conservation agent to match against Dake.

Personal attributes aside, Dake is convinced his message also played a role in his victory.

"I am pretty darn conservative," said Dake, noting his opposition to abortion and support of gun rights. But "I disagree with the governor's cuts on Medicaid."

Dake said he focused heavily on health care for the elderly, and "I always criticized the governor in speeches to seniors," he said.

That's what makes state Democratic leaders hopeful of taking seats away from majority Republicans in this November's legislative elections.

"When you combine a good candidate with voter frustration with Blunt, you get a Democratic victory," said the party's state executive director, Corey Dillon.

Her counterpart at the state Republican Party headquarters insists Dake's election is an anomaly.

"The Democrat ran as a Republican and was endorsed by a Republican, and we had depressed [voter] turnout. That's how we feel we lost the race," Jared Craighead said. "I have every confidence that we will win that seat in November."

Dake plans to put that confidence to the test. The newly elected Democrat already is planning to seek re-election to a full two-year term.