Late Night House Calls Push Local Veterinarian to Big Win in Missouri Race

A campaign flier showed him pushing a big round bale of hay past an onlooking cow. His red-and-white signs featured farm animals, a horse, sheep and pig, absent the Democratic Party donkey.

The Associated Press said that longtime veterinarian in the state’s second-leading cattle county, Charles “Doc” Dake rode his rural credentials to a stunning victory last week in Lawrence County, becoming only the second Democrat there in 70 years to win a state House race. Dake easily defeated Republican encumbent insurance agent Eric Seifried, getting 55.5 percent of the vote.

Dake’s Democratic victory in one of Missouri’s most traditionally Republican counties sent political shock waves reverberating through Jefferson City.

The special election in House District 132 offers some important lessons about local politics, even if the statewide implications are far less reaching.

What seems to have happened is that a fairly well-known veterinarian was able to win an election with personal campaigning, a key endorsement and a message that mixed his conservative beliefs with criticism of the health care cuts enacted in Jefferson City.

In this case, the 67-year-old Dake was aided by his 37 years of veterinarian house calls. Midnight trips to help ailing animals are not easily forgotten by farmers. Nor are the friendships that develop.

The Republican sheriff gave his endorsement to the Democratic candidate and taped an automated phone call for Dake that rang in 5,500 homes the day before election.

He’s going to tell it like it is, and I like a person who’s going to shoot straight, one supporter said.

Dake, meanwhile, spent his nights making phone calls while campaigning door-to-door during the day in blue jeans. Two previous losses in House races in 2002 and 1996 only added to Dake’s name recognition.

Those efforts could help explain why voter turnout tipped toward Dake.

The Democratic veterinarian lives near Miller, a town of about 750 in northern Lawrence County. The Republican insurance agent comes from Aurora, a city of more than 7,000 in the southeast corner of the county. Those demographics should give the Republican the edge.

But just 14 percent of voters cast ballots in Aurora’s two main precincts while 33 percent went to the polls in two northern precincts near Dake’s hometown. Dake pulled nearly 80 percent support from his less-populated home base, more than enough to offset Seifried’s 60 percent home support.

Dake bills himself as a conservative who opposes abortion and supports gun rights, but disagrees with the governor’s cuts on Medicaid. Dake said he focused heavily on health care for the elderly.

Dake plans to put that confidence to the test. The newly-elected Democrat already is planning to seek re-election to a full two-year term.

Source: Associated Press

Topics Missouri