2014 St. Louis County Executive election

2014 St. Louis County Executive election
November 4, 2014
 
Nominee Steve Stenger Rick Stream
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 139,264 137,452
Percentage 47.73% 47.11%
County Executive before election

Charlie Dooley
Democratic

Elected County Executive

Steve Stenger
Democratic

Elections in Missouri
Federal government
Presidential elections
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
State government
State elections
Gubernatorial elections
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
Secretary of State elections
State Auditor elections
State Treasurer elections
Attorney General elections
Senate elections
House of Representatives elections
Ballot measures
1999
2004
2006
2018
2020
2022
2024
Kansas City
Kansas City mayoral elections
Jackson County Executive elections
St. Louis
St. Louis mayoral elections
St. Louis aldermanic elections
St. Louis County Executive elections
Other localities
Columbia mayoral elections
Jefferson County Executive elections
Springfield mayoral elections
St. Charles County Executive elections

The 2014 St. Louis County Executive election took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent County Executive Charlie Dooley ran for re-election to a third term. Dooley faced controversy over an FBI investigation into the county government, and was challenged in the Democratic primary by County Councilman Steve Stenger. Stenger defeated Dooley in a landslide, winning the nomination with 66 percent of the vote, and advanced to the general election, where he faced State Representative Rick Stream, the Republican nominee.

The election took place following the Ferguson protests, which occurred in the county.[1] As Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch came under fire during the protests, his support for Stenger in the Democratic primary prompted a group of prominent Black Democrats in the county to endorse Stream over Stenger.[2]

Though Stenger performed worse than Dooley in majority-Black precincts in the northern part of the county,[3] he narrowly defeated Stream. Stenger won 48 percent of the vote to Stream's 47 percent, a 1,812-vote margin. Stream requested a recount, which slightly narrowed Stenger's margin, but ultimately affirmed his victory.[4]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

Dooley sought a third term as County Executive, appointing to his success in overseeing significant economic development in the county over his tenure.[6] Stenger announced that he would challenge Dooley for renomination, arguing that Dooley's management had produced "misguided, unaccountable and really broken government."[5] Stenger announced his challenge with the endorsements of several local elected Democrats, including Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, and several local labor unions that had historically supported Dooley.[6]

Stenger pointed to an ongoing FBI investigation into county government that revolved around a $3.7 million embezzlement scheme by a county health department employee.[5] Dooley requested funds from the County Council to undertake an independent audit into the embezzlement, but Stenger opposed doing so, attacking Dooley for lax enforcement of management and spending guidelines.[8] When Dooley declined to release a forensic audit, Stenger accused him of going "to great lengths to keep" the information "quiet."[9] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch criticized Dooley's refusal to release the audit, arguing that "before the county spends $94,000" on Dooley's requested audit, "let's see the results of the first one."[10]

Dooley, in turn, attacked Stenger for not supporting women's rights. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., Dooley criticized Stenger for "helping Hobby Lobby." While as a County Councilman, Dooley sponsored legislation that would have reduced the number of required parking spaces at a proposed Hobby Lobby store. Stenger criticized the attack as "absurd" and "an act of desperation."[11] Dooley also criticized Stenger, an attorney, for his past representation of a "notorious kingpin" in a prostitution case. In a television advertisement, Dooley argued that Stenger "blamed the victims, saying it was a lifestyle they chose." Stenger responded that the advertisement "rises to the level of defamation,"[12] and argued that his remarks were taken out of context. Dooley stood by the advertisement, saying, "That's what he said, that's what he believes."[11]

The Post-Dispatch endorsed Stenger over Dooley, noting that while it endorsed Dooley in previous elections, "the last four years have seen one fouled-up mess after another emanate from the ninth floor of the County Government Center in Clayton." It criticized his reliance on local operative John Temporiti, noting that his influence allowed "cronyism and politics, often clumsily executed," to "crop[] up everywhere." The paper acknowledged that, "for better or for worse, [Stenger] is a lesser known quantity," and that he "is a little vague on a long-term vision for St. Louis County," but offered "competent management" when Dooley couldn't.[13]

Ultimately, Stenger defeated Dooley in a landslide, winning 66 percent of the vote to Dooley's 31 percent.

Results

Democratic primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Stenger 84,993 66.46%
Democratic Charlie Dooley (inc.) 39,038 30.52%
Democratic Ronald E. Levy 3,862 3.02%
Total votes 127,893 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declined

Results

Republican primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rick Stream 34,772 67.90%
Republican Tony Pousosa 16,439 32.10%
Total votes 51,211 100.00%

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Results

Libertarian primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Ted Brown 908 100.00%
Total votes 908 100.00%

Constitution Party primary

Candidates

  • Joe Passanise, retired county engineer, 2006 and 1998 Republican nominee for County Executive[18]

Results

Constitution Party primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Constitution Joe Passanise 908 100.00%
Total votes 908 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

2014 St. Louis County Executive election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Stenger 139,264 47.73%
Republican Rick Stream 137,452 47.11%
Libertarian Ted Brown 8,063 2.76%
Constitution Joe Passanise 3,252 1.11%
Independent Zaki Baruti (write-in) 2,934 1.01%
Write-in 816 0.28%
Total votes 291,781 100.00%
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ Giegerich, Steve (August 28, 2014). "The politics of Ferguson: Brown killing raises issues in county executive contest". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A1. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  2. ^ Giegerich, Steve (October 2, 2014). "Coalition of black Democrats endorse Stream for executive". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A2. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  3. ^ Giegerich, Steve (November 20, 2014). "How Stenger pulled off the win". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A1, A5. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  4. ^ Giegerich, Steve (December 31, 2014). "Stream gains votes in recount, but still falls short". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A5. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Regnier, Chris; Bruce, Betsey (October 15, 2013). "Stenger to challenge Dooley for County Executive seat". KTVI. St. Louis, Missouri. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Mannies, Jo (November 8, 2013). "Despite controversies, Dooley says he still has 'fire in the belly' for re-election bid". KWMU. St. Louis, Missouri. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  7. ^ Giegerich, Steve (July 27, 2014). "Similar substance, different style for rivals". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A1, A4. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  8. ^ Giegerich, Steve (May 28, 2014). "Dooley, Stenger square off over health audit spending". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A2. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  9. ^ Giegerich, Steve (July 16, 2014). "Federal prosecutor supports Dooley on withholding FBI audit". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A3. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  10. ^ "Mr. Dooley's secret: County executive should release FBI's health audit". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. July 3, 2014. p. A12. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Giegerich, Steve (July 23, 2014). "Hobby Lobby debate surfaces in St. Louis County executive race". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A3. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  12. ^ Giegerich, Steve (July 17, 2014). "Ad rocks county campaign". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A1, A8. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  13. ^ "Stenger's the choice". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. July 27, 2014. p. A16. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d "PRIMARY ELECTION - OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS" (PDF). St. Louis County Board of Elections. August 18, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  15. ^ Giegerich, Steve (March 25, 2014). "St. Louis County Executive race has 3 GOP choices". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A2. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  16. ^ "Republican to challenge county executive". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. October 30, 2013. p. A5. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  17. ^ Kohler, Jeremy (March 20, 2014). "Cunningham won't seek GOP nod for St. Louis County executive". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. A4. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  18. ^ a b c "Ballot has 2 third-party hopefuls, one write-in". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. October 26, 2014. p. A17. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  19. ^ "GENERAL ELECTION - OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS" (PDF). St. Louis County Board of Elections. November 18, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.