By Bob Benenson and Barbra Murray
Congressional Quarterly

Electoral votes: 11

Delegates: 92

Chairman: Joe Carmichael

Hotel: Hilton Pasadena (626) 577-1000

1996 Election:
Clinton – 48%
Dole – 41%
Perot – 10%

It sometimes seems that every famous Missouri native - with the possible exception of author Mark Twain - will have a connection to this year's presidential contest in the "Show Me State."

First there was Democratic presidential contender Bill Bradley, who was raised in the small town of Crystal City, near St. Louis, and grew up to be a New York Knicks basketball star and three-term U.S. senator from New Jersey.

Bradley, who held his official campaign kickoff at his old high school gym in Crystal City, needed a victory over the Democratic front-runner, Vice President Al Gore, in Missouri's March 7 primary if he hoped to stay competitive in the contest for the nomination. But he didn't win his home state - or any others, for that matter - and two days later conceded the Democratic race to Gore.

Another famous name heard in this year's contest is that of Harry S Truman, the only Missourian to ever serve as president. As Gore struggled through the summer to try to pull even in the polls with the Republican nominee, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, he invoked the battling, underdog spirit of Truman's come-from-behind 1948 presidential victory.

Though Truman remains a revered figure to many in Missouri, his party has only been competitive, not dominant, in state politics. A mix of Northern urban, Midwestern and Southern sensibilities, Missouri is one of the nation's partisan swing states: Democrats and Republicans each have won six of the 12 presidential elections after Truman's 1948 victory.

President Clinton, with Gore as his running mate, carried Missouri twice, but with pluralities: 44 percent to 34 percent over Republican incumbent George Bush in 1992 and 48 percent to 41 percent over Republican challenger Bob Dole in 1996. Those results indicated that the state will be a crucial battleground for Gore in this year's election.

The importance of Missouri briefly brought another state political powerhouse into the presidential show. There was a flurry of rumors in late July that Gore was considering House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt, the 12-term incumbent from the St. Louis-area 3rd District, as his vice presidential running mate.

But Gephardt - a 1988 Democratic presidential hopeful who had demurred from another bid himself this year to orchestrate the campaign to restore Democratic control of the U.S. House (and make himself Speaker in the process) - publicly announced that he was not interested in the second slot, and the furor quickly died away.

Gephardt is an automatic member of the state's delegation to the national convention, as are Missouri's other four Democratic Congress members. One of these, retiring 16-term 1st District Rep. William L. Clay, is joined by his son, state Sen. William L. "Lacy" Clay Jr., who was a contender in the Aug. 8 primary to succeed his father.

Another star in the delegation is two-term Gov. Mel Carnahan, who this year is challenging Republican Sen. John Ashcroft in one of the nation's most closely watched Senate contests.

The 92-member delegation, led by state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Carmichael, is unified, even with the presence of 18 delegates pledged to Bradley, said state Democratic Party Communications Director Kim Baldwin.

"We are the party that's 'big tent,' and we are all-inclusive," Baldwin said.

A unified front was not a given during the state party's platform committee discussions, though. "It wasn't smooth sailing, but it was very positive and we expect the same to happen at the national convention," Baldwin said. "We agreed to disagree."

Baldwin said the platform is "one that can embrace everyone." The main issues for the party, she said, are improving education and finding means to provide costly prescription drugs for those who cannot afford them.

Baldwin added, "All Democratic state parties have affirmative action goals, so we have a fair representation of African-Americans, seniors, gays, labor people."

Two delegates, in particular, serve as evidence of the delegation's broad spectrum. Octogenarian Mary Blackiston is the most senior delegate, while 22-year old Jesse Jokerst is the youngest.

MISSOURI NOTABLES: U.S. House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt; Gov. Mel Carnahan, who this year is challenging Republican Sen. John Ashcroft; retiring U.S. Rep. William L. Clay and his son, state senator William L. "Lacy" Clay Jr., a candidate this year for his father's open seat; state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Carmichael, the delegation chairman; Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook; Democratic National Committee members Sandy Allison and Doug Brooks.