By Antonio D. French
Filed Monday, January 14, 2008 at 8:46 AM
State Rep. Tom Villa, a possible candidate to replace Maida Coleman in the state senate, hasn't raised much money for his effort (less than $4,000 in 9 months), but when you're rich, you don't have to. Labels: 5th_Senate, Campaign_Finance
Villa, whose family owns Villa Lighting Supply (in 2001, according to the St. Louis Business Journal, the company did $47.5 million in sales), has loaned his campaign committee $165,000, according to finance reports filed today.
The only two candidates that have formally announced so far that they are running for the open seat are state representatives Rodney Hubbard* and Robin Wright-Jones.
Coleman is currently St. Louis City's only African-American senator. Both Hubbard and Jones are black. Villa is white. The racial dynamics of the race and the desire of black St. Louisans to keep some representation in the Missouri senate have made this a closely-watched race across the state.
*Hubbard is a client of A D French & Associates
26 Comments:
Another millionaire buying elected offices. Oh great! Well, he'll fit right into the Republican senate.
1/14/2008 9:47 AM
Sounds like the black votes will be split-Giving Villa a victory!!!!!!
1/14/2008 11:03 AM
"but when you're rich, you don't have to [raise much money]. Villa, whose family owns Villa Lighting Supply ..."
The only family wealth that matters is Tom's own. Other family members (including his spouse) are subject to the same $650 contribution limit as everyone else, and that includes loans.
1/14/2008 1:06 PM
I guess "The racial dynamics of the race and the desire of" (WHITE) "St. Louisans to keep some representation in the Missouri senate" is an acceptable statement!
1/14/2008 2:07 PM
Oracle, I think Tom and his wife loaning his campaign $165,000 shows significant personal wealth.
1/14/2008 2:11 PM
Do you think that Black People will take note of what happended recently in Jennings ?
Do you think black politicians have enough commense sense to run only one candidate?
DO POLITICIANS THINK ????
1/14/2008 2:47 PM
Black St. Louis should "stand down" on Jay Nixon in November if the Democratic Party allows us to go without representation in the senate. Where's Ken Franklin in all this? What good is there in having a black executive director if he just sits on his black ass?
1/14/2008 3:06 PM
Why would this fall on Ken's or Jay's shoulders? The candidates should be able to work this out. Why cant Rodney and Connie come to an agreement?
1/14/2008 4:32 PM
The Democratic Party should force Tom Villa out and leave it to the black candidates to fight it out on Election Day. This is a black seat and should remain a black seat.
1/14/2008 4:42 PM
The seat is not black or white. The seat goes to the person who gets the most votes. Why wouldnt the Black Caucus fix this issue?
Everything is for sale. The question is " How Much?"
1/14/2008 10:58 PM
to stand down-- how about the democrats forcing out the black candidates and giving back the position to a white person because it used be a white seat?
1/15/2008 11:37 AM
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we have such problems in St. Louis. The basic concept of power-sharing escapes so many.
1/15/2008 12:27 PM
You are correct. It is very short sighted and racist to think that a seat must remain black just because it is black now. the anonynous at 11:37 made a good point
1/15/2008 1:22 PM
so your saying whites should share with blacks but blacks should NOT share with white?
1/15/2008 1:24 PM
I'm with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in caring about the content of character of a candidate and not color of skin.
Unfortunately, many African Americans are just as guilty, if not more so, of putting skin color before content of character.
Seats are about politics, parties, and partisanship in this two-party system. Let's not become sunnis and shiites in our democracy (They are not just different religious groups but different tribes and clans).
By the way did anyone watch 60 Minutes and see how the Congolese women are being horribly treated, raped and maimed by other Congolese. What's going on in so many African nations should prove once an for all, it's not all about race, and some of your worst enemies and torturers will have your same color of skin.
1/15/2008 4:09 PM
Simply because someone is of a different color does not presuppose they cannot represent the interests of those within a district. I hope the best candidate wins, hopefully championing a message of unity. The last thing St. Louis needs is a candidate who stresses those divisions, whether subtly or overtly, that have only weakened our City by propagating racial turmoil. "Them" does not exist, we are all one people.
1/15/2008 5:20 PM
I agree 100% with Doug which is exactly why I take such exception to "stand down's" racist comment.
1/15/2008 8:59 PM
Yep, Stand Down is just not a stand up guy, very retrograde.
1/15/2008 9:29 PM
I am not a Tom Villa fan, but when anyone says that any candidate rich or not should be forced out of a race because the seat they are running for has been one race or gender is against all that this country was founded on. Maybe Obama or Clinton or Romny should be told that they should not be allowed to run because the seat they are running for has never been held by a black or a woman or someone of their belief. Get a grip let the voters decide I happen to trust the voters more than Villa or any other candidate
1/16/2008 9:20 AM
Capt.scott1,this country was founded on stealing land from Indians and genocide against them,forcing Blacks into slavery,lynching and rape of Black females (Thomas Jefferson),denying women equal rights with white males,taking land from Mexico,colonizing land of nonwhites all over the world and the belief of white supremacy!
1/16/2008 11:20 PM
star--this sounds like what is going on in africa right now
1/17/2008 6:38 AM
Sounds more like what George Bush is doing in Iraq,killing,raping and stealing Iraq's oil!
1/17/2008 11:44 AM
Star, what people or nation was not involved in some if not most of what you speak down through the ages?
Even the Indian nations took from one another.
Look what's going on in the Congo, Kenya, Sierre Leone, Zimbabwe, etc. now.
I think most white, African American, Hispanic, and Asian Christians call it man's sinful nature.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Cain killed Abel, and it has been going on ever since, regardless of skin color, ethnic background, nationality.
1/17/2008 3:48 PM
It is so hypocritical for America to try to force its "Democracy" on other countries when it has a history of discriminating against its own residents based on their race/gender and of forcing its will on non-white countries!I hope I live long enough to see China force its will on America,that is what you call karma!
1/17/2008 4:51 PM
"HISTORY" is the key word here. Look it up.
it's done-over-past-never to be again
1/17/2008 8:03 PM
China is acceptin immigrants. I'm sure they wouold enjoy having you.
1/17/2008 8:15 PM
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