In the race to take Congressman Akin’s old seat, Republican Ann Wagner soundly trounced Democrat Glenn Koenen. At her election night party, Wagner said she got into this race because she was a “fed up mother.”
“And you know what? I think our country needs some tough love," Wagner told the crowd. "And I’m ready to deliver that – that I promise you.”
Wagner held her campaign party at the Frontenac Hilton, the same place as Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence. But the two decided to hold their events in different ballrooms at the same hotel.
Koenen was financially abandoned by the Democratic Party, which didn’t give a dime to his campaign. Koenen says he’s thankful for his supporters and volunteers.
“The problem is, that’s not enough to offset the financial disadvantage of being a Democrat," Koenen said in an interview after the race was called. "I was outspent about 50 to 1. And that’s just a lot of ground to make up.”
Wagner has campaigned on the idea of a limited government -- a popular sentiment in the conservative 2nd district. During her campaign, she said she would like to have a 10% cut in government spending, excluding defense programs.
Follow Chris McDaniel on Twitter: @csmcdaniel
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