This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 5, 2011 - Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said a statewide tour gauging his chances in next year's governor's race has been slowed a bit. But it's not indecision that is delaying his campaign against Gov. Jay Nixon.
It's his health.
Kinder said in an interview that his "listening tour" has been slowed by what he described as a "wicked upper respiratory infection."
"I'm on a Z-pack for it right now and cough medicine," Kinder said during an interview as he was mingling Tuesday with tea party activists during a rally on Lindell Boulevard, across the street from Tom Carnahan's house. President Barack Obama later held a fundraising event at the home.
Kinder said he attended some functions in St. Louis last weekend, even while he "was coughing the worst." Those events included an appearance at an event advocating for breast cancer awareness among black women as well as a stop at the opening of the Peabody Opera House. The latter was cut short by his nagging cough.
Kinder gave no timetable for his decision, adding that he's facing "some minor foot surgery later this year."
"We've got to work all that in while still touring the state and allow some time for recovery," he added.
Kinder Confident Can Overcome Challenges
For months, Kinder has been seen as the presumptive Republican nominee to square off against Nixon, a Democrat.
But that conventional wisdom changed after rough patch of news, including reports of his spending on hotels and his acquaintance with a former stripper and Penthouse Pet.
Kinder announced in late August that he would embark on a statewide tour before deciding whether to challenge Nixon, adding in a letter to supporters that he would "not run if I cannot win."
Kinder -- a Cape Girardeau native who spends plenty of time in the St. Louis area -- notes he has never lost an election. And people within his political organization have been effective, assisting in successful campaigns over the past few election cycles.
But the combination of the controversies and his standing in public opinion polls caused even some conservatives to question Kinder's chances next year.
Asked whether he can beat Nixon, Kinder said, "There's nothing new" about questions of his electability.
"There have been Republicans who have doubted whether I could win all my races," Kinder said. "So that's not new. We'll see. That's what the listening tour is about. That's what finishing the last fundraising quarter is about. We will post a good number; I'm proud of it."
He said his campaign had two "sensational" events during the quarter, pointing to one in Cape Girardeau with Karl Rove and another with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour in Springfield.
"In Springfield -- a town where I have never previously raised over $40,000 at one event -- we had Haley Barbour two weeks ago tonight raise over $90,000," Kinder said.
Still, Kinder acknowledged, it's an "uphill run" trying to unseat the incumbent governor. Nixon, for instance, holds a substantial fundraising advantage over Kinder.
"But the incumbent has to run with this president," said Kinder, referring to Barack Obama. "I would not want to be running on that ticket with him in Missouri next year."
Kinder Discusses Local Control, Special Session Gridlock
Kinder also sounded off on the special session of the Missouri General Assembly, which has stalled amid disputes between the House and Senate on an economic development bill. The House is to reconvene Thursday.
"I share the disappointment of many people that we have not been able to get a bill and not been able to pass local control," said Kinder, referring to legislation that would end the state's control of the St. Louis Police Department. The House passed the measure, but it is stuck in the state Senate.
Kinder has been a notable Republican supporter of local control, joining with Democrats such as St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay on the issue. He criticized Nixon for expressing opposition to the move in February during a press conference at the Governor's Mansion.
But some members of the tea party have opposed local control, including former St. Louis Police Association President Gary Wiegert.
"I know a lot of tea party people who favor local control because they're consistent with the tea party vision of devolving power to the lowest level of government," Kinder said. "That is, we should not have a Civil War arrangement arrived at 150-plus years ago. ... It should be controlled by the people who live in the city of St. Louis."
"I don't see a big rift there," he added. "I'm welcomed at tea party events."
Additionally, Kinder said, there's a need for "gubernatorial leadership" in breaking the deadlock over the special session. He said Nixon allows "things to get to the last week of a four-and-a-half month session without weighing in."
"His people are not in the halls. He is not in the halls. And so we end up with failure," Kinder said. "And I think if the governor had behaved as past governors have, we could have gotten the ball across the finish line."
Of course, both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly have sizable Republican majorities. And Kinder is the ceremonial overseer of the state Senate. Should he have gotten more involved in dealing with the disagreements between the Senate and the House?
Replied Kinder: "I suppose you could say that."
Yet, Kinder added, "I have been working hard behind the scenes. It just seems we can't untie the knots in the Senate."
Jason Rosenbaum, a freelance journalist in St. Louis, covers state government and politics.