Three of the four candidates for state treasurer--Andria Simckes, Charles Wheeler, and Clint Zweifel--spoke at the candidates forum at West County Dems on Monday. (The fourth candidate, Mark Powell, did not attend.) You'll get the most accurate idea of them if I just let them introduce themselves, as they each did in a three minute speech.
Clint Zweifel, currently running for State Treasurer, just got Missouri Pro-Vote's Outstanding Legislator Award. It should be noted that Pro-Vote doesn't generally endorse in a primary, and none of Zweifel's opponents are legislators and thus weren't eligible for the award. Still, Pro-Vote is a solid progressive organization and any nod from them has to be taken seriously.
Primary opponent Andria Simckes released a number of endorsements earlier this week. Former KC mayor Charlie Wheeler and former Arnold mayor (and 2004 Democratic nominee for treasurer) Mark Powell are also running for the nomination.
Via a Clint Zweifel press release, Andria Simckes apparently supports the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, which is actually a ballot initiative to ban affirmative action programs designed to improve opportunities for women and minorities. Historically, women have been the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action programs, and everyone in society benefits from greater access to education and employment in traditionally disadvantaged groups. So it's baffling that Simckes, an African American woman running in the Democratic primary for state treasurer, would support something like the MCRI.
I'm not sure if Simckes truly supports the ballot initiative, if she misspoke, or if she got fooled by the deceptive title. I'm hoping that the most generous scenario is the correct one.
UPDATE: That's what I thought. Dave Drebes has the following statement from Simckes:
I support the right to equal opportunity for all Americans. I am living proof of that opportunity. My acceptances in the NASA-Lewis MARS Internship Program and Brown University are just two examples of how the right to equal opportunity has benefited me personally. Affirmative Action is one of the most effective tools in beginning to level the playing field for women and minorities. I have always and will continue to support everyone's right to equal opportunity.
That's good, but it's unfortunate that a quote from a leading Democratic candidate can lend credence to an initiative she opposes.
Andria Simckes is different from any previous candidate for Missouri Treasurer. I can say that confidently, without a glance at the records, and I defy anyone to find me another African-American Jewish woman who has run for that office or any other statewide office. Andria thinks it's time for that to change. Time for an African-American to run statewide, that is.
Simckes is hardly running on race alone, though--or on being Jewish, or being a woman, for that matter. She has financial bona fides: she was comptroller for a $1.6 million budget for the Missouri Coordinated Campaign in 1996 and served as Executive Director of Greater St. Louis Regional Empowerment Zone, where she was responsible for $18.9 million in available funds and $130 million in bonding authority.
Simckes, who comes from a working class family, parlayed hard work and academic achievement into a spot at the top of her class at Brown University and a law degree from Washington University. The bio on her website shows that she's always been involved in community service and remained so even when she withdrew from full time employment to have three children (now ages 6,4 and 2).
Andria Simckes is different from any previous candidate for Missouri Treasurer. I can say that confidently, without a glance at the records, and I defy anyone to find me another African-American Jewish woman who has run for that office or any other statewide office. Andria thinks it's time for that to change. Time for an African-American to run statewide, that is.
