This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Feb. 24, 2011 - The next major election in Missouri is almost two years away. But one wouldn't know it from the 2012 campaign activity already under way.
A state Republican Party "tracker'' is even now taking video of U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., at public events. Some footage already has been used to challenge her portrayal of her record.
And Republicans have been abuzz for months over a Sunshine Law request filed with the state public-records custodian in late December that seeks "any and all state records" since 1987 dealing with Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a Republican expected to challenge Gov. Jay Nixon in 2012.
The man filing the open-records request was Nathan McCarroll, identified in news accounts in other states as a former Senate staffer who now is an opposition-research consultant working for Democrats. McCarroll did not return telephone inquiries from the Beacon, which had obtained a copy of his open-records request.
Nixon's campaign operation isn't saying whether it has any knowledge or connection to McCarroll. His name doesn't appear on any of the governor's campaign expenditures. The state Democratic Party isn't commenting either.
But the state Republican Party notes that the open-records request was filed while Nixon's administration was dealing with a controversy over a southeast Missouri businessman who had been awarded, with much hoopla, more than $2 million in state economic development aid. It turned out that the man had a felony record.
"It is astonishing that Jay Nixon's investigators were trying to dig up dirt on the governor's political opponents at the same time Missourians learned of Nixon's failure to discover the lengthy criminal record of a man awarded $2 million in state economic development assistance,'' said state GOP executive director Lloyd Smith. "Sadly, it appears that Nixon is more interested in scrutinizing those who disagree with him than making sure taxpayer resources are spent wisely."
Looking ahead to 2012
Regardless of who did the hiring, opposition research and "tracking'' are standard tools in political campaigns. After 2010's combative campaigns in Missouri and nationally, it may not be surprising that the candidates and their parties are now focusing on 2012.
Both state political parties are wasting no time as they retool and beef up. The Missouri Republican Party has announced a new political director -- a post that often oversees campaign-related activities. The Missouri Democratic Party, which suffered heavy losses last fall, is still revamping its staff and operations.
The unofficial 2012 campaign kickoffs for both parties are just around the corner.
Missouri Republicans from around the state will be gathering in Springfield, Mo., this weekend for the party's statewide annual Lincoln Days. Most of the party's current major officeholders -- along with likely or already announced 2012 contenders -- are expected to be there.
A week later, on March 4 and 5, most of Missouri's top Democrats will gather in Hannibal, Mo., for Democrat Days. The regional event long has been the state Democrats' version of New Hampshire, attracting anyone considering a statewide run.
Both events often attract nationally known speakers. No Democrat Days speaker has been announced. But U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., has been promoted for weeks as the keynote speaker at the Lincoln Days Saturday night banquet. Thune had been a potential 2012 presidential contender -- until Tuesday, when he took his name out of the mix.
Kinder is speaking Friday night. He said in an interview weeks ago that he planned to wait until later this year to make his 2012 plans public. Kinder complained that campaigning is beginning too early, and that he'd like to see a return to the early 1990s, when candidates began stumping much closer to the actual elections.
But with opposition research and trackers well underway, a later start is pretty unlikely for 2012.
Ready for her closeup
McCaskill didn't appear surprised to see the trackers at her town-hall forum Monday at the high school in Washington, Mo. The senator even pointed out to a reporter that two unidentified men with video cameras -- one standing just a few feet in front of her -- were taping her remarks.
The senator observed that she suspected one or both were working for one of her Republican challengers or the state GOP.
Trackers have become frequent figures on candidates' campaign trails -- and can be a source of controversy. In 2006, then-Sen. George Allen, R-Va., arguably killed his re-election chances when he used an ethnic perjorative to make fun of a Democratic tracker at one of his events.
During Missouri's statewide campaigns since 2006, the opposition trackers often were known by name and their personal filming styles. Some stood static, while others would follow the candidate so closely that an aide at times would have nudge the tracker back. The candidate didn't want to be filmed doing it.
Monday morning, McCaskill made a point of ignoring both men filming her. But she expects to see them a lot until November 2012.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, it may be a few months before campaign reports reveal if anyone in Missouri has hired Nathan McCarroll.
