Politics

Republican Missouri secretary of state candidate Shane Schoeller got a boost Wednesday from a fellow Republican from Mississippi, who said photo identification requirements for voters are important to preserving the integrity of elections.

Since first uttering the regrettable comments about "legitimate rape," Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin has been his own most formidable foe.

The suburban St. Louis businessman has now plugged $5 million into his effort to unseat Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Once hotly contested, the Show-Me State is now widely considered reliably conservative in the lead-up to the Nov. 6 presidential election.

Eighteen candidates for a variety of elected positions attended the forum, which was hosted by the NAACP at Second Baptist Church in Columbia.

Sen. Claire McCaskill's 84-year-old mother, Betty Anne McCaskill, was in an intensive care unit of a St. Louis hospital Tuesday after "becoming critically ill."

Senate candidate Todd Akin has repeatedly declined to discuss additional details of the arrests. The records are private because he was never convicted.

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce voted to endorse Proposition B, which would raise Missouri's tax on a pack of name-brand cigarettes from 17 cents per pack to 90 cents per pack.

Aline Kultgen, civil liberties co-chair for the League of Women Voters of Columbia, discusses her motivations for being politically involved.

Obama's "horses and bayonets" statement takes off on social network sites.

With the two men seated at a semi-circular table, the early moments of the debate produced none of the finger-pointing and little of the interrupting that marked their debate last week.

When President Barack Obama underlines that he is not just a candidate but a president who has seen the caskets come home, it is meant to diminish the standing of Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the recent attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and Iran's nuclear ambitions were all ripe for disagreement in the 90-minute event at Lynn University.

Here's a guide to help you participate in, listen to and watch the third and final presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

How much do you know about local candidates and propositions on this year's ballot? Take this quiz to test your knowledge.

Claire McCaskill campaign spokeswoman Caitlin Legacki said, "We'll leave it to Missouri's voters to make judgments about the language being used by Todd Akin's campaign. But I think Claire said this morning that their recent tone has certainly been disappointing."

After being one of the most hotly contested states in 2008, this year's candidates seem to be ignoring Missouri because of Romney's and the Republican Party's hold on the state.

With the election approaching, here is a guide with video from The Associated Press and links to the candidates' websites on their views on taxes and the debt, jobs and the economy and education.

Sen. Claire McCaskill asserted Todd Akin has an "extreme record" on women's issues, education, Medicare and Social Security. Akin stressed that McCaskill was one of Obama's earliest supporters in his 2008 campaign and backed his health care and stimulus proposals.

Boone County Commission candidates discussed key issues at the State and Local Candidates Forum at the Chamber of Commerce.