Barnes To Take On Sam Graves In '08

Outgoing Kansas City mayor Kay Barnes kicked off her campaign against Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) this afternoon, giving the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee one of its top recruits for the 2008 cycle.

Barnes’ announcement took place in rural St. Joseph’s, MO -- the Republican-leaning part of the district where she will need to do well to carry the district. 

She’s hoping her bi-partisan ties -- she didn’t run under a party banner as mayor -- will serve her well during the campaign.

Democrats are already highlighting favorable statements from Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) at a joint news conference with her last month.  At the presser, he said that “Kansas City is a better place to live and work” because of Barnes’ leadership. 

“She has a notable level of accomplishment in working across party lines to get things done,” said DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer. “This district is very hungry for change.  Right now there’s an anti-Republican, anti-Bush wave in that district.”

The district has leaned Republican at the presidential level, giving President Bush 57 percent of the vote in 2004. Since first elected in 2000, Graves has dispatched his last three Democratic opponents with over 60 percent of the vote.

However, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) carried the district in 2006, raising Democratic hopes that it’s trending in their direction.

NRCC spokeswoman Julie Shutley said the party is not fazed by Barnes’ challenge. “Sam Graves’ hard work on behalf of the district has guided him to re-election in previous cycles, and we have every confidence he will win again in 2008.”