The2000 United States Senate election in Missouri was held on November 7, 2000, to select the next U.S. senator fromMissouri. IncumbentRepublican senatorJohn Ashcroft lost re-election to a second term toDemocratic governorMel Carnahan despite Carnahan's death in a plane crash 20 days before Election Day. Due to the timing of Carnahan's death, state law did not allow his name to be replaced on the ballot. Newly inaugurated governorRoger Wilson appointed Mel Carnahan's widowJean Carnahan to fill the seat pending a2002 special election.
John Ashcroft had first been elected in1994, with close to 60% of the vote, amidst a national Republican wave. During his tenure in the senate, he established a reputation as a conservative, advocating for welfare reform and tax reform, and for being a favorite of social conservatives such asPat Robertson.[1][2][3] Beginning in 1997, Ashcroft considered running forPresident in 2000.[4] Ashcroft visited numerous crucial states, but was undecided between a presidential bid, re-election, or both, which would be permitted under state law.[5] On January 5, 1999, he announced that he would not seek the presidency and would instead seek a second Senate term in the 2000 election.[6]
His opponent was incumbent two-termDemocraticgovernorMel Carnahan, who by state law, was barred from seeking a third term. Carnahan had held various statewide positions, includingstate treasurer,lieutenant governor (which he served as while Ashcroft was governor) and as governor. He also had been seen as a prospective candidate in virtually every Missouri U.S. Senate race in the 1990s,[7][8] including declining a bid for the Class 1 Senate seat in 1994.[9] He announced his bid for the seat on November 4, 1998, with polls at the time, showing him leading Senator Ashcroft.[10]
Missouri was often considered by pundits to be a close match to the national electorate, with even the candidates mirroring the presidential candidates at the top of the ticket in many respects.[13] Furthering this line of thinking, Missouri had voted for the correct winner in every presidential election from1904, with the exception of the1956 presidential election.[14] With this in mind, the race for U.S. Senate quickly became one of the most hotly contested in the country.[15] Both candidates used various ways to campaign. For example, Ashcroft held a bus tour across the state to campaign on "Missouri Values".[16] Likewise, Carnahan held a four day long train tour, an homage to Missouri native and former presidentHarry S. Truman, who held this seat before being elected as vice president.[17]
Both candidates had long been considered rivals, and the race became negative early.[18] Ashcroft received staunch criticism for his role in defeating the judicial nomination ofRonnie White, attacking him as "pro-criminal", a move which Carnahan, and many black leaders, saw as having racial overtones.[19] He was also criticized for his Senate votes against a prescription drug benefit forMedicare, his vote on Bill Clinton's impeachment, and for his conservative voting record.[13][20][21] Ashcroft also faced controversy for the honorary degree he received fromBob Jones University, a Christian college which faced controversy over some of its views.[22] Carnahan was also subject to attacks for his past actions, such as wearing blackface in a 1960 sketch.[23] He was also attacked for his commutation of the death sentence of Darrell J. Mease, at the behest of thePope.[24] In addition to the contrast between the candidates, issues ranging from healthcare to education toSocial Security would become some of the most contentious issues, mirroring the national Presidential Election.[25][26]
Both candidates were close in the polls and in fundraising with it at times being one of the most expensive races in the nation.[27] Ashcroft would have awar chest that included significant contributions from corporations such asMonsanto Company,[28] headquartered inSt. Louis, Missouri, which gave five times more to Ashcroft's campaign fund than to the fund of any other congressional hopeful at the time.[29] Ashcroft's campaign fund would later be fined by theFederal Election Commission for failure to disclose donors.[30][31]
There were two debates held during the cycle. The first debate was held on October 13 inSt. Louis onKMOX, on radio. The second debate was held days later on October 15 onKCPT-TV inKansas City. A third debate was planned inCape Girardeau, but details could not be worked out, and ultimately, the debate would not occur due to Carnahan's death.[32]
On October 16, the day after the second debate between the two candidates, Carnahan spent the day campaigning. At around 6:45 that evening, planned to depart toNew Madrid, for a meeting with Black leaders in Missouri.[33] However, owing to failing instruments and bad weather conditions, the plane crashed at around 7:30 in ruralJefferson County. Carnahan was killed along with his son Roger "Randy" Carnahan, and his longtime aide Chris Sifford.[34] In response, Ashcroft suspended all campaigning on the day of the plane crash in light of the accident and resumed it eight days before the election date.[35] Carnahan's death also came the day before the third presidential debate, which was to be held inSt. Louis. Both Al Gore and George W. Bush offered tributes to the recently deceased governor before the debate.[36]
The election was tight in the final weeks, albeit with Ashcroft leading in most polls.[37] But the news of Carnahan's death appeared to throw the outcome in doubt.[38] Many media outlets and analysts even assumed that the crash assured Ashcroft would win a second term.[39][40] Nonetheless, Carnahan's name remained on the ballot as Missouri's last date to change who appears on the ballot was October 13, just three days prior to the crash.[41] Lieutenant GovernorRoger B. Wilson became acting governor on the day of the plane crash and was officially sworn in as governor after Carnahan's death was confirmed two days later. Should Carnahan have won the election, Wilson promised to appoint his widowJean Carnahan.[42] She accepted the would-be appointment and with the slogan "Don't let the fire go out!", a slogan her husband liked to use, the campaign continued with an outpouring of support.[43] What was once a contentious campaign, quickly became a campaign of emotion.[44] Polls bore this out, with some of the final polls in the race showing Carnahan with a sizable lead, which only grew as voters were informed of the planned appointment of his widow.[45][46]
While Carnahan's chances rose, Ashcroft found himself in a difficult position as a result of Carnahan's death. Ashcroft tried to turn the campaign's focus back on the issues, including enlisting the help of former senatorJohn Danforth, who filmed an advertisement encouraging voters to look at Ashcroft's experience.[47][48] But due to the unique circumstances of the election, Ashcroft found it hard to regain the momentum.[49] He commented in a television interview that suspending his campaign had damaged him politically, even though he still maintained it was the right thing to do.[50] In the final week, Ashcroft focused his campaign exclusively on the issues, stringently avoiding any mentions of his dead opponent.[47]
Despite his death, Carnahan won by a margin of approximately fifty thousand votes.[51] He was the first person posthumously elected to the United States Senate.[a] Therefore, John Ashcroft became the first ever U.S. Senate candidate, incumbent or otherwise, to be defeated by a deceased person.[52] A professor ofpolitical science at theUniversity of Missouri commented that the incumbent Senator lost the election because his candidacy was "overwhelmed" by a campaign of "emotion and symbolism."[35]
2000 United States Senate election in Missouri[51]
There was speculation that the results would be subject to a legal challenge. Even before the election, Republicans claimed that Carnahan would be ineligible due to him being dead, claims Democrats dismissed as attempts to depress support for the dead governor.[53] A point of contention among Republicans was the decision of judge Evelyn Baker to extend polling hours in the city ofSt. Louis until 10:00 PM, 3 hours after polls in the city should have closed.[54] Baker claimed that huge turnout overwhelmed the polling places, and that many people were being denied the ability to vote.[55]Kit Bond, the state's Republican senior senator alleged that this was voter fraud, and called for a federal investigation.[56] Ultimately, nothing came of any of these issues, and Ashcroft declined to seriously push the issue.[35]
Asked by the media whether he would ever seek office again, Ashcroft responded, "The last thing I want to do is think about running for public office again."[35] In December 2000, he was chosen for the position ofUnited States Attorney General by President-electGeorge W. Bush and his nomination was confirmed by the Senate[57] by a vote of 58 to 42. He served from February 2, 2001, until February 3, 2005.[58]
Keeping to his word, GovernorRoger B. Wilson appointed Carnahan's widow,Jean Carnahan, to fill the vacant seat until a successor could be duly elected.[59] The appointment was made official on in early December after the final results had been certified.[60][61] Carnahan was sworn in on January 3, 2001, along with the rest of the senatorselected the previous year.[62]
In2002, a special election was held in Missouri for the remainder of the six-year term of the state's Senator. Jean Carnahan ran for election to complete the term but was defeated by RepublicanJim Talent with a margin of approximately twenty-two thousand votes.[63]
^In 1962, voters inCalifornia electedClement Woodnutt Miller to the House of Representatives one month after his death in a plane crash. In 1972, two other Representatives,Nick Begich ofAlaska andHale Boggs ofLouisiana were re-elected after their plane went missing in the Alaska wilderness. They were both declared deadin absentia after the election.
^Manning, Margie (February 27, 2000)."$7 million in Senate race".www.bizjournals.com.Archived from the original on April 29, 2005. RetrievedJune 15, 2023.
^Schanbacher, William D.The Politics of Food: The Global Conflict between Food Security and Food Sovereignty, Praeger Security International; February 26, 2010;ISBN978-0313363283; p.47
^Harrison, Beth B.Shedding Light on Genetically Engineered Food: What You Don’t Know About the Food You’re Eating and What You Can Do to Protect Yourself, iUniverse, Inc., November 13, 2007,ISBN978-0595451807
^Wayne, Stephen J. & Clyde Wilcox.The Election of the Century: The 2000 Election and What it Tells Us About American Politics in the New Millennium, Routledge, February 20, 2002,ISBN978-0765607430; ch.10
County results_(52976484531)_(cropped).jpg)
