For eight years, the 161st District of the Missouri House of Representatives has been under Republican control. But the situation used to be much different.

Before Charleston resident Lanie Black won election to the seat in 1998, the 161st District was a faithful Democratic seat for decades. His first election was the exception, not the rule.

The district covers eastern Scott County, all of Mississippi County, a large part of northeast New Madrid County and the southeast corner of Stoddard County. In all those counties, Democrats dominate county offices.

Now Black can no longer seek election to the seat due to term limits.

GOP foothold

The Republican Party wants to keep its foothold in this old Democratic district. The Democratic Party wants to get the seat back.

This year's race between Republican New Madrid farmer Gary Branum and Democratic Charleston businessman Steve Hodges has garnered attention from state party organizations on both sides. The Republican Party has given money to help buy radio and TV air time for ads touting Branum as the only candidate who really knows farmers.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has sent out direct mail pieces saying Hodges is the only candidate who will represent the district's poor, elderly and children and supports raising the minimum wage.

Branum said in his farming operations he's never paid any of his workers minimum wage.

Hodges said Branum campaign literature also accuses him of supporting tax increases -- despite the fact that he recently signed a pledge with Americans for Tax Reform that he won't vote for new taxes.

A race that started out as a cordial competition between two well-known community members has started to turn ugly.

Branum's campaign holds a slight fund-raising edge -- $66,000 to Hodges' roughly $55,000. But that figure doesn't count the tens of thousands the state parties have spent on their campaigns.

Hodges said he doesn't understand why his opponent would say he doesn't understand farmers. For decades Hodges helped run his family business, an IGA grocery store in his hometown of East Prairie, where he says he became well-acquainted with local farmers, their needs and the challenges they face.

"The people that traded with us, a significant portion, were either farmers or farm-related families," Hodges said. "I know those people, they're friends of mine, their kids played ball with my kids, I go to church with them.

"I don't know if Gary Branum's ever tossed watermelons for 50 cents an hour, but I have. I can't match up on total agricultural knowledge, but I'm not oblivious to agriculture and agriculture-related problems."

Hodges said his main priority is to help working families by restoring the cuts to Medicaid and making sure rural public schools are fully funded.

Branum, a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau board of directors, has been a farmer since 1969. Branum said farming is the most important economic sector in his district, and his experience can help promote that industry. He's president of a biodiesel plant currently in the construction phase in New Madrid County, and says biodiesel and ethanol are keys to the future economic vitality of the district.

"I know about biodiesel and farming, and I know what it's going to take to make Southeast Missouri a better place to raise our children and bring more jobs into Southeast Missouri," Branum said.

Sage advice

In his bid for the open seat, Branum is relying heavily on the expertise of the man he hopes to succeed -- Lanie Black. Black, whose family is well-acquainted with the Hodges' family, is Branum's campaign treasurer.

"We talk two or three times a day," Branum said of his relationship with Black. "Lanie has been a lot of help to us, and he will continue to help us."

Despite Branum's farming background and the advice he's getting from an experienced politician -- a Republican who won election in a Democrat area -- state Democrats say Hodges has a great chance of winning.

"If being a farmer was a criterion for being elected, Jason Crowell, Rod Jetton and Peter Kinder would never get elected," said House Democratic Minority Leader Jeff Harris of Columbia. "Steve is a person who comes from a strong small business background, and on top of that understands the economy of New Madrid and Mississippi counties."

Hodges is like many other Southeast Missouri Democrats running for state house seats -- part of his platform is conservative values on issues like abortion and gun control and same-sex marriage.

Branum points out he's been endorsed by Missouri Right to Life, the NRA and business organizations. He wonders how well Hodges' conservative stances will stand up under party pressure if Hodges gets to Jefferson City.

"Whenever I go to Jeff City, I will be pro-life there and I will vote pro-life because the Republican Party is not going to pressure me to vote another way," Branum said.

Hodges insists, however, that he'll be independent.

"I'm not for radical stuff, and I'm not for giving away anything, either," Hodges said. "I've even been described as someone who won't walk the party line."

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

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Gary Branum

Party: Republican

Age: 60

Hometown: New Madrid

Education: Holcomb high school, also trained as an air traffic controller and commercial pilot

Occupation: Full-time rice farmer

Personal: Wife Becky (married 34 years), daughter Elizabeth

Political Experience: Missouri Farm Bureau state board of directors, vice president of St. John's Bayou Basin Drainage District

Steve Hodges

Age: 57

Hometown: East Prairie

Occupation: Former business owner, part-time substitute teacher

Education: BS in business administration from Southeast Missouri State University; master's in business administration from University of Missouri-Columbia

Personal: Wife Amy (married 34 years); three sons, James, Andrew and Adam

Political experience: 12 years on East Prairie school board, two terms as president