Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill continues to let surrogates campaign for her reelection bid.
The Democratic lawmaker remains at a St. Louis hospital where her 84-year-old mother is in critical condition, according to campaign staff.
Volunteers are taking the lead for the Senator on the campaign path.
Staff say the Senator never intended to appear in person at a seniors’ forum at Kansas City’s Zion Grove Missionary Baptist Church today and long-time labor leaders directed discussion among 20 people, mostly women.
Several talked of fears of what they saw as Republican plans to change social security and Medicare. Joyce Johnson said she’s a retired teacher and airline employee, feels threatened by the campaign agenda of McCaskill opponent Todd Akin--“we’re not living in the 40’s and 50’s, and 30’s and 20’s. We need to come up and be equal to men in this society. Even in politics and on jobs.”
Republican Akin was holding his own roundtable talks on energy and aerospace in the St. Louis area.
At mid-week, Akin plans to campaign with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in Kansas City.