A former Washington U. law professor who served in several high posts under the Bush administration is making a major bid to win the state’s financial watchdog position from the incumbent Democrat in November.
Tom Schweich taught law at the University for two years after serving in high-level diplomacy and law-enforcement posts in the Bush administration and now is facing Democratic incumbent Susan Montee in one of the state’s most anticipated November showdowns. Missouri Republicans will try to put the state auditor post back in their column for the first time in 12 years.
And Schweich likes his chances against Montee this November.
“Of course I think I’m going to win,” Schweich told Student Life. “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think I was going to win.”
The state auditor’s office serves as the watchdog over the state’s money, performing audits and investigations to crack down on waste and fraud in government spending. Three past auditors have gone on to serve as U.S. senators — John Ashcroft (R-Mo.), Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-Mo.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) — underscoring the status of the auditor position as a political stepping-stone.
The race will be one of the closest watched in Missouri. It’s one of only two statewide races this November, the other being the U.S. Senate contest between Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D).
Schweich taught courses on Afghanistan and the United Nations, among other topics, and finished his teaching duties at the close of the last school year. Though he had never taught before, he said he enjoyed the experience immensely, and he applauded his students for their motivation and intelligence.
“It’s a very smart group of students,” Schweich said. “They’re very open-minded, and we had good healthy discussions in class, and I thought it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed being in the classroom.”
Schweich defeated MBA graduate and state lawmaker Allen Icet in the GOP primary on Aug. 3 in part because of healthy fundraising and the backing of prominent national and state Republicans. Former U.S. Sens. Jack Danforth (R-Mo.) and John Ashcroft (R-Mo.), state Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder all backed Schweich in the primary.
It’s still unclear if the race’s prominence will be enough to get the attention of campus politicos. The College Democrats “will be doing as much campaign volunteering as possible, but…we don’t yet know which candidates and races we’ll be focusing on,” said the group’s president, Kat Berger.
Schweich said that some of his former students have helped his campaign out in a minor capacity after the associate law dean signed off on it.
Montee’s campaign, meanwhile, noted her own connection to the University.
“She enjoys the support of young people across the state who recognize the important role her audits have made in drawing attention to problems confronting higher education,” campaign spokesman Phil Olafsen told Student Life. “Her daughter attends Washington University and, along with many other young people, has worked hard on behalf of state Auditor Montee.”
Montee won election to the post in the 2006 Democratic wave election, succeeding McCaskill, who ran a successful bid that year for U.S. Senate. But Republican enthusiasm is up considerably this election cycle, putting some Missouri Democrats like Montee at considerable risk.
Former Missouri Gov. Bob Holden (D) said the Senate race is likely to be the dominating factor in driving voters to the polls since it garners more of the public’s attention. But despite the political climate, he noted that the winds could shift before November.
“Eight months ago, the political landscape looked different than it did today,” Holden said. “It may change by Election Day. What both campaigns will have to do is do what they can to organize and motivate voters.”
Icet (R-Wildwood), the chairman of the state House Budget Committee, had the backing of nearly all of the state’s GOP lawmakers and some conservative elements of the party. But it proved not to be enough for Icet to overcome Schweich. After Schweich got the GOP nod, Icet urged his supporters to back Schweich.
Schweich has cited his management of audits and investigations in federal agencies as experience that would help him as state auditor. He also has touted his work as an ambassador to Afghanistan who focused on drug crime and corruption, and an international law enforcer.
Both the Montee and Schweich camps said they don’t want politics to get in the way of the campaign or their work
Although Schweich is a Republican, he said he would bring an “independent” mind to the job.
And when asked about the headwinds Democrats currently face, Montee’s camp said she “is more concerned with doing the job of state auditor than speculating or engaging in partisan politics.”