By Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine says Missouri's approval of a non-binding referendum rejecting key provision of President Obama's health care overhaul will not impact St. Louis's chances of getting the party's 2012 national convention.
Kaine told the party's executive committee at its summer meeting in St. Louis on Thursday that he will consider political "X" factors as he makes his decision. He clarified those factors to reporters afterward.
"The most common one would be kind of an analysis of, is having a convention in a place going to be helpful or not with respect to electoral votes," he said. "I don't think that that vote on the August non-binding referendum makes much difference. St. Louis is a very friendly jurisdiction."
St. Louis and Kansas City were the only two jurisdictions to reject the referendum.
St. Louis is competing against Cleveland, Charlotte, and the Twin Cities to host the 2012 Democratic convention. Kaine called it a coincidence that the executive meeting is in St. Louis. The city was supposed to host a party gathering last year that was canceled for Sen. Ted Kennedy's funeral, he said.
Kaine said he should be receiving a report on the cities' technical plan for hosting the convention within a month. He expects to announce a winner in late December or early January.