The endorsing body of the American Nurses Association (ANA) in conjunction with the Missouri Nurses Association (MONA) have endorsed Judy Baker for Congress in Missouri’s Ninth Congressional District. The nurses supported Judy because of her long-standing efforts to increase the quality of health care in Missouri and ongoing support of other nursing issues.

“I am so thankful for the support of Missouri’s dedicated nurses who see the need for fundamental change in our health care system,” Baker said. “With their help I will win this election and represent the issues nurses and Missourians care deeply about: Quality health care that we all can afford.”

MONA is the only full-service professional organization representing Missouri’s 70,000+ RNs and constituent members. Baker has been a health care advocate and manager for more than 20 years. She has helped increase access to health care in rural areas and fought Gov. Matt Blunt’s plan to cut the health care of more than 200,000 seniors and children.

Columbia, MO – Blaine Luetkemeyer broke federal laws instituted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with a television advertisement that distorted his opponent’s record. The violations mean that for the rest of the campaign the Luetkemeyer camp should not be eligible for discounted advertising rates given to candidates that follow federal law.

“Blaine Luetkemeyer will say anything and break any law to get elected. He is part of the old politics that just hurts Missouri families by dividing us,” said Paul Tencher, spokesman for the Baker campaign. “These violations are serious because they are laws created specifically to let voters know Mr. Luetkemeyer is responsible for the negative campaign tactics he has used to distort Judy’s record and distract voters from the real issues. If he is so proud of his gutter advertising he should follow the law and put his name on them.”

According to FCC law, a television advertisement sponsored by a candidate and that makes direct reference to an opponent during the 45-or 60-day windows must include, at the end of the broadcast, simultaneously, and for at least four seconds:

•    A clearly identifiable photographic or similar image of the candidate; and

•    A clearly readable printed statement identifying the candidate and stating that the candidate has approved the broadcast and that the candidate’s authorized committee has paid for it.


The Baker campaign will now take legal action to have television stations that aired the broadcasts enforce the law and repeal the Luetkemeyer campaign’s certification for the discounted advertising rates. A copy of the letter sent to every television station in the Ninth District is attached to this release.

Frankford, MO – Judy Baker, candidate for Congress in Missouri’s Ninth Congressional District, held a town hall meeting at the Frankford Farm Supply store on Saturday to listen to farmers affected by water release from the Clarence Cannon Dam.

“Farmers in the Lower Salt River Basin and throughout Missouri need a voice to listen to their concerns and fix their problems,” Baker said. “Some of these farmers lost more than 80 percent of their crop because the federal government has failed to come up with a comprehensive strategy that includes Iowa and Illinois. This is unacceptable.”

Baker spent an afternoon speaking with farmers to understand the issues facing them along the Salt River and below Mark Twain Lake.  When Mark Twain Lake receives excess rainwater, the Army Corps of Engineers are instructed by federal policy to release water by opening the Clarence Cannon Dam.
The water release causes flooding throughout the Lower Salt River Basin area and damages crops severely. Farmers told Baker the water level problems have been rising dramatically in recent years and flow from Iowa and Northern Illinois must be slowed to lessen the damage on farmers in the Salt River Basin.

Baker promised to go to Congress and, as a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, develop a comprehensive strategy to allow water release without damaging the family farms that have existed for more than four generations.  She also said she would push for greater flood relief for farmers affected by the water release until permanent prevention methods could be put into place.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — With her husband, a Baptist minister, standing at the back of the room, Judy Baker delivered a stump speech here last month with references to her faith, her God and the moral imperative of the policies she champions.

Though her speech had flourishes right out of the GOP playbook, Mrs. Baker isn’t a Republican. The two-term state representative is a Democrat who supports abortion rights, and her signature issue is accessible health care. And she is on the forefront of a Democratic push to attract values voters — a job made tougher by Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, an evangelical Christian, to be his running mate.

“My faith is part of who I am,” Mrs. Baker said. It is also something the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is banking on — to the tune of the $1 million they are investing in her campaign.

Building on limited success in 2006, Democratic congressional candidates across the country are pushing into territory long held by the Christian right. They are advertising on religious radio stations, posting homilies on campaign blogs and incorporating religious revelations in stump speeches.

The push is part of an effort that prompted a steady stream of religious leaders to center stage at the Democratic National Convention last month in Denver and comes as presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama champions faith-based initiatives. In 2006, the Democrats “microtargeted” a few thousand likely voters who might be responsive to the party’s message based on their theology and ideology. This year they expect to identify and target nearly seven million.

“The mistake some candidates have made in the past is they have just assumed that they would not be able to get the support of certain elements of the faith community and, therefore, didn’t engage in a conversation,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “But what we’re finding is when we do reach out, across the faith community, people appreciate the effort.”

The push has become critical for Democrats because the nomination of Gov. Palin has energized the GOP’s religious base and boosted crowd sizes. That enthusiasm will help GOP candidates across the board, said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee. “We don’t take these voters for granted,” he said.

Associated Press

Democratic congressional candidate Judy Baker, center, prior to a youth worship service at First Baptist Church in Columbia, Mo.

Democrats have been slow to make inroads with faith-based voters. In 1992, James Carville urged then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton not to shrink from the debate over moral values as he sought to win the White House. Still, in the 2006 congressional-election cycle, weekly churchgoers voted Republican over Democrat by a 12-point margin.

Some Democrats have bridged this gap by playing on religious themes. In their winning campaigns, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia spoke frequently about his Roman Catholic faith and his experience as a missionary; Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland ran ads reminding voters he is an ordained Methodist minister; and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey highlighted his Roman Catholicism.

In 2006, the handful of Democratic candidates who targeted faith communities ran an average of 18 points stronger among Protestants, 17 points stronger among white evangelicals and 10 points stronger among Catholics, compared with Democrats who didn’t, said Eric Sapp, a Democratic political consultant.

This election cycle, the Democratic congressional group recruited candidates with an eye toward their ability to campaign among faith groups. The party also has made room in their platform for more socially conservative positions. Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the son of a pastor and an accomplished orator, has traveled the country to tutor candidates to better connect with religious audiences.

The result is that some traditional rhetorical lines are being blurred. “I’ve been stopped and asked if I was an infiltrator, a Republican in sheep’s clothing,” said Mrs. Baker, who attended seminary before getting into health care and eventually politics.

In New Jersey, Dennis Shulman, a blind psychologist-turned-rabbi, speaks of his decision last summer to run for Congress after reading the work of civil-rights leader Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.

In North Carolina, Larry Kissell, a history teacher and former textile worker, tells different audiences a similar story. Mr. Kissell was sitting in the Baptist church he has attended since he was a child when the pastor told the story of Jesus’ asking a follower to step out of the boat and walk onto the stormy seas.

“It very clearly says to me that we have to walk the walk,” Mr. Kissell said. “I knew right then I was going to run.”

Write to Douglas Belkin at doug.belkin@wsj.com

Columbia, MO – After eight days of silence from Blaine Luetkemeyer on the need to reduce the federal deficit, the Baker Campaign asked for a response to part two of Judy Baker’s plan: make the Iraqi government pay some bills since they have a budget surplus of more than $80 billion.

“The Iraqi government is projecting an $80 billion surplus, while America is still spending $12 billion a month,” said Baker spokesman Paul Tencher. “I know Mr. Luetkemeyer doesn’t believe in changing much, but certainly he can agree that the Americans need that money more than the Iraqi government. The financial crisis has slowed our economy and reducing the deficit by holding the Iraqi government accountable would help the American people.”
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its estimates for the national deficit last week and cited a gloomy outlook. This year’s budget deficit is estimated at $407 billion and will increase to $438 billion in 2009, according to CBO’s projections.

On Sept. 10, Baker said immediate steps should be taken to work towards a balanced budget. She said she would propose legislation to open Medicare Part D to price negotiation just like the Veteran’s Administration already does. According to the non-partisan National Committee to Save Social Security and Medicare, this step could save hundreds of billions of dollars.

Baker would also push for greater accountability from Iraq to fund their security measures and training. Iraq is estimating a budget surplus of nearly $80 billion, while the U.S. is still spending almost $12 billion per month in Iraq.

As a symbolic sign, Baker also said she would not vote for any pay raise until the federal deficit is erased and Washington starts spending within its means.

With a membership of more than 250,000 farm and ranch families,

the NFU PAC will assist Judy in creating vibrant rural communities in Congress

The National Farmers’ Union Political Arm has announced it endorsement of Rep. Judy Baker in her race for Missouri’s Ninth Congressional District seat. NFU said that Baker demonstrated a commitment to needs of family farmers, ranchers, and the communities in which they live.

“I am honored by the support of so many families that make our country great by their commitment to farming and ranching,” Baker said. “As I campaign from Miller County and up through Clark County, I listen to the concerns rural voters are facing. They want a real energy policy that puts families ahead of oil companies. They worry about the cost and access to health care in their communities. And they want a level playing field so that they can work hard and know they will be able to provide for their families. I will be a strong advocate for farmers and ranchers because they are so vital to Missouri’s future.”

According to the NFU PAC, the organization “represents farmers and ranchers in all states, with organized chapters in 32 states” and “…believes that good opportunities in production agriculture are the foundation of strong farm and ranch families, and strong farm and ranch families are the basis for thriving rural communities. Vibrant rural communities, in turn, are vital to the health, security and economic well-being of our entire national economy.”

Baker will also request a seat on the House Committee on Agriculture to ensure to the priorities of Missouri’ farmers and ranchers are represented in Washington.