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.
