State Treasurer Clint Zweifel won’t run for governor in 2016, a decision that removes a Democratic obstacle in Attorney General Chris Koster’s potential run for the office.
Mike Pridmore, the campaign spokesman for the two-term statewide official, told the Beacon that the age of Zweifel’s daughters were prime factor in his decision. Term limits prevent Gov. Jay Nixon from running again, which means the office will be open in 2016.
“They’re in middle school and early high school,” said Pridmore, referring to Zweifel’s daughters. “If he runs for governor in ’16, that’s a race that starts now. And all the travel demands and time demands that go into it, it’s just not the right time for it.”
That doesn’t mean that the 39-year-old Florissant native – who is also barred by term limits from running for another term as treasurer – won’t seek another office in 2016, Pridmore said.
“This is the only race he’s ruling out,” Pridmore said. “And he’s going into this without any plans to run for a specific office. It’s not like there’s any type of deal that ‘I don’t run for this, I run for this.’ This race specifically would start now and he’s just not at a point where he could do that.”
Assuming Secretary of State Jason Kander runs for re-election in 2016, Zweifel could potentially run for the U.S. Senate against U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., or for lieutenant governor. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder told St. Louis Public radio last year that he wouldn't run for another term.
The news of Zweifel's decision not to run for governor was first reported by the Missouri Times and confirmed by the Associated Press. Pridmore said Zweifel informed some of the state's most prominent Democrats -- including Nixon and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. -- of his decision.
Pridmore said that Zweifel invited Koster over to his house and personally told him that he wouldn’t run for governor. Koster – a former Republican who dramatically switched parties in 2007 – is widely considered to be mulling a bid to succeed Nixon in 2016. In 2013 alone, the former Cass County prosecutor and state senator racked up $285,000 in donations that are more than $5,000.
“It takes the subtext out of every event,” Pridmore said. “It just lets him do everything on his own terms in his second term as treasurer and do the things that voters elected him to do without the subtext of ‘is he running, is he not?’”
Zweifel burst onto the state political scene in 2002 when pulled off a narrow victory over an incumbent Republican for a state House seat. He cultivated a reputation for developing policies to oppose the GOP majority.
Zweifel first won his current post in 2008 when he defeated state Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, in a close race. He defeated former state Rep. Cole McNary, R-Chesterfield, last year to win another four years in office.
