Two women with extensive political experience will compete in April to be St. Louis’ chief financial officer.
Incumbent Darlene Green and former Alderwoman and state Rep. Donna Baringer were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary for comptroller, separated by just over 500 votes, according to final but official results. Accountant Celeste Metcalf was a distant third.
Baringer received 16,664 votes, Green 16,117 and Metcalf 8,541. Approval voting allows people to select multiple candidates in the primary election.
“I was able to get the message across of the importance of the comptroller's office, and that it's time for change," Baringer said.
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Baringer was first elected to the Board of Aldermen from a southwest St. Louis ward in 2002, then served eight years in the state House before being term-limited out last year. Though Baringer is not an accountant by trade, she said her time on finance-related committees at the state and local levels taught her to dig deep into numbers.
In September, Baringer got off social media and began to visit every neighborhood association meeting in the St. Louis, she said. Her goal: explain what a comptroller did and figure out what the city’s residents wanted in the office.
She believes that message resonated with voters — even as she tries to upset a well-established St. Louis leader.
“How could you ever take on a 30-year incumbent?” Barringer said she was asked. “And my answer was: ‘How can I not?’”
Green, who has been in office for nearly 30 years, is seeking her eighth full term as comptroller. She made her experience the central point of her campaign, emphasizing an increase in the city’s credit rating and her decision to shut off payments to building division contractors under investigation.
“I’m grateful for all the voters who voted for me and who came out for me in the rain,” Green said in a statement. “We’ve got great momentum going forward into the general.”
Though Green has more money on hand in her campaign account, Baringer raised nearly three times as much during the primary.
This story has been updated.
