By Patrick Martin, Leader editorial page editor
Published in the Jan. 10 Leader newspaper
My favorite Martin to whom I’m not related – just to make that point crystal clear up front – is back in the political fray. In fact, he’ll be leading it!
That would be Ed Martin, the St. Louis lawyer who Saturday was elected state chairman of the Missouri Republican Party.
Let’s review Ed’s impressive political resume. He was former Gov. Matt Blunt’s chief of staff from 2006 until 2008, when he resigned after an email-deleting scandal that ended in multiple lawsuits that cost Missouri taxpayers more than $2 million.
In 2010, he ran for Congress against Russ Carnahan in the then-3rd District, waging a feisty campaign but losing a close race.
In 2012, he announced he would run for U.S. Senate. Then he changed his mind and announced he would run for Congress again. Then he changed his mind again and announced he would run for Missouri attorney general.
In November, he did, and got his clock cleaned by incumbent Chris Koster.
Just weeks after that double-digit loss, Ed was elected state chairman on the second ballot, edging former chairman David Cole, a Cassville lawyer, 34-32.
After his triumph, Ed released this statement:
“Today’s competition was the sign of a vibrant and mature party. Our success in electing Republicans across the state – in widening the tent – has created an influx of new ideas and energy, but it’s clear that there is still work yet to be done.
“I look forward to working with the members of the state committee, our volunteers, activists, and donors as we take our conservative message to Missourians from across the state and from all walks of life. Working together, I know we will protect what we have built and strengthen our party in preparation for 2014 and beyond.”
So spaketh the Mouth That Roared.
Missouri Republicans are in an interesting position. They control enormous majorities in both the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives. In fact, they have veto-proof majorities of greater than two-thirds in each chamber, meaning they can pass any legislation they choose and override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon if they stick together.
On the other hand, they won only one statewide race this past fall, electing lieutenant governor-for-life Peter Kinder to yet another term, despite his own problems with strippers and exorbitant hotel bills paid for by taxpayers.
For those keeping score at home, the GOP won that one but lost five statewide races: U.S. Senate, governor, secretary of state, treasurer and Ed’s race for attorney general.
The GOP couldn’t blame the top of the ticket: Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won Missouri by more than nine points.
So, as the state party honchos met to pick a leader, they could either reward the old leadership for its solid job in securing the Legislature, or could blame it for the collection of wingnuts and goofballs who couldn’t hold a nine-point lead in statewide races in a Republican-leaning state.
They obviously did the latter, electing one of those wingnuts to lead the party, a wingnut who has never won a general election.
However, it would be only fair to point out that prior success, or lack of same, is no guarantee of future performance. Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda had a major league pitching record of 0-4.
Ed Martin has a better record than the Hall of Famer – he’s only 0 for 2!
Like Lasorda, Martin is a mighty talker and debater. He can be animated and highly entertaining, so long as he is safely insulated from actually having the authority to implement his bizarre ideas. His hard-right vision is summed up neatly by the statement he gave the Columbia Tribune.
“America is under assault because of the left-liberal vision of what they are trying to do to us.”
That’s Ed, an us-versus-them, everything’s-a-crisis kind of guy.
He ran his campaign for attorney general by running against President Barack Obama and his health care program. He referred to Koster as “Obama’s lawyer” in campaign material.
Then he got thumped.
Democrats have to be jumping up and down. Having a guy like Ed in charge of the opposition makes them look downright reasonable. Plus, they get to gig him for his lack of electoral success.
“While Ed Martin may have finally won an election today, it should be no comfort to Missourians that the most extreme elements of our state’s Republican Party are now firmly in control,” Democratic Party chairman Mike Sanders said Saturday.
“Missourians won’t soon forget Ed Martin’s highly controversial and ethically challenged past. It’s significant that someone with such an extreme history will now be the voice of Missouri Republicans.”
I’ll say this for Ed: He may be extreme, but he won’t be boring.
