Montee wins Democratic nod for auditor

JEFFERSON CITY — Buchanan County Auditor Susan Montee cruised to victory in the Democratic state auditor’s primary Tuesday while Republicans awaited the outcome of a tight race in their primary.

Montee had 70 percent of the vote in her contest against Columbia accountant Darrell Wattenbarger, with 87 percent of the statewide precincts reporting results.

She was winning in almost every county, despite spending little of her considerable campaign account, bolstered by a $500,000 personal loan.

It was unclear who Montee will face in the Nov. 7 general election.

Platte County Auditor Sandra Thomas, of Kansas City, led the Republican primary with nearly 31 percent of the vote — a roughly 10,000-vote margin over Rep. Jack Jackson, of Wildwood, with 87 percent of statewide precincts reporting results.

Jackson had 27 percent of the vote. But a large number of votes remained to be counted in Republican-rich St. Louis County, the home of both Jackson and Sen. John Loudon, of Chesterfield, who had 24 percent of the statewide vote.

With about half of the St. Louis County precincts reporting, Jackson was leading Thomas there by a greater than 3-to-1 margin.

“I haven’t conceded, and we’re hoping that St. Louis County will bring it in — it’s going to be close,” Jackson said in a telephone interview late Tuesday night.

Thomas, similarly, had not declared victory.

Following behind the top three Republican vote-getters were Rep. Mark Right, of Springfield, at 14 percent, and Concordia resident Al Hanson at 5 percent.

Libertarian candidate Charles Baum was unopposed.

The auditor’s race was thrown wide open when incumbent Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, opted against seeking a third term to instead challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Talent.

Jackson led Republicans in campaign fundraising, thanks largely to his $500,000 loan intended to match Montee’s own financial commitment in the Democratic race. A former Marine fighter pilot and test pilot for Boeing Co., Jackson stressed his military experience and proposed to embed auditors in major state projects much like journalists are embedded with the military during the war in Iraq.

Loudon, who has served in the Legislature since 1995, highlighted his sponsorship of high-profile laws — imposing abortion restrictions and overhauling the workers’ compensation system — and proposed to privatize audits examining the performance and management of state programs.

Thomas stressed her qualification as the only auditor and certified public accountant in the Republican race. She touted the endorsement of former Republican State Auditor Margaret Kelly and proposed a constitutional amendment requiring future auditors to be CPAs.

Wright cast himself as an independent voice by criticizing fellow Republican Gov. Matt Blunt for his handling of license offices and the Medicaid program. His comments led Republican Party Executive Director Jared Craighead, a Blunt supporter, to urge Republicans not to vote for Wright.

The Republican Party also disavowed Hanson, who was convicted of felony consumer fraud in Minnesota more than 25 years ago.