Potential Third Candidate for U.S. Congress Wavering

In the race for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District, GOP Conservative Ann Wagner and Tea Party favorite Ed Martin expect to learn soon whether moderate Randy Jotte is joining the GOP primary race to replace U.S. Rep. Todd Akin.

Jotte said Thursday he would announce shortly, and publicly.
 
Right now, it's a two-way primary race for the GOP nomination, with voting on Feb. 7.

Wagner and Martin have both in the race for months. Jotte is a medical doctor and Webster Groves resident. His website reports that he’s considering a leap into the race.

All three participated in a forum sponsored by Republican Club of Tesson Ferry at the Cliff Cave Branch of the St. Louis Public Library in Oakville.

Despite the frigid night and snow, about a hundred people came to the far reaches of South County to hear the Republicans running for various offices.

Wagner and Martin had been invited to speak, and Jotte came to listen, chat, and observe, apparently. But Wagner had been at a Creve Coeur event and arrived in Oakville too late to speak to the group.

Jotte had suggested earlier in the day that he’d be there, if he was leaning toward running. He still wasn’t committing.

“I’ll discuss my thoughts publicly shortly,” was all he said.

He spoke to Patch in general terms about reasons for considering a run.

“If you have concerns that are in your heart you have to be true to that,” he said. “If you look at the gifts, the resources you have, you apply those to the larger good if you can. And that’s the question at hand,” Jotte said.

Jotte most recently ran unsuccessfully for the Missouri General Assembly and St. Louis County Council.

Wagner and Martin, already committed in the primary race, didn’t appear to be concerned with the possible addition of a third candidate.

“I know of Randy Jotte and I know he’s run for office before, but we’re really just focused on our race 110 percent of the time,” Wagner said. “We filed back (on) April 26, so it’s been over eight months.”

Martin knew Jotte was in the room, but seemed surprised that he might have committed.

“Has he gotten in?” Martin asked. “He’s a really good man, and I know him, actually I know his parents from church, and I’ve gotten to know him over the years. I’m a big fan of the more the merrier in races.”

John Judd, Republican committeeman for Tesson Ferry Township, had little hope for Jotte.

“The field is set,” he said. “The nominee will be either Ann Wagner or Ed Martin. It’s far too late to get in for anyone else.”

Why wouldn't Jotte have the same chances as Wagner and Martin?

“They have all the money cornered,” Judd said. “They have all the workers cornered. The primary field is set. We had the nominee in that room."

Akin is making a run for U.S. Senate.

Patch will follow and report on Jotte's potential action.