JEFFERSON CITY - Failed vice presidential candidate John Edwards was heading to Springfield on Labor Day toting the kind of liberal baggage embraced by Claire McCaskill including support for abortion, gay marriage and higher taxes rejected by southwest Missourians two years ago.

In Greene County alone, the Kerry/Edwards ticket lost by more than 31,000 votes in 2004 to the Bush-Cheney ticket while McCaskill lost the county to Gov. Matt Blunt by more than 30,000 votes.

It’s no wonder southwest Missouri rejected Edwards since he was rated the fourth most liberal senator in 2003, according to the National Journal. McCaskill’s own support for gay marriage, abortion and higher taxes were also rejected as she proudly supported the Kerry-Edwards ticket. In the third quarter of 2005, Kerry raked in $63,000 for McCaskill through his Keeping America’s Promise Inc. Political Action Committee.

“A strong majority of Missourians rejected liberals like John Edwards and Claire McCaskill in 2004 because their values are not Missouri values. The same holds true for 2006 and in places like Springfield and southwest Missouri,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “Having liberals like John Edwards in the Show Me State provides communities in southwest Missouri and everywhere with a clearer understanding of how out of touch McCaskill and her national Democrat handlers are.”