Kinder Drops Out, Leaves Ladue Businessman As Republican Frontrunner for Governor

A Ladue businessman is the Republican frontrunner for the 2012 gubernatorial primary.

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder announced at 4 p.m. Friday that he is dropping out of the Missouri governor race, according to an Associated Press story.

Kinder has struggled after articles about visits at a strip club and taxpayer-supported hotel stays.

Kinder said he would support the candidacy of Dave Spence, of Ladue. Spence is president of Alpha Packaging on Page Industrial Boulevard in Overland. He has never run for office.

Spence is “a self-made man and proven manager who understands how to create jobs and improve the state's economy,” Kinder said, according to the AP article.

Bill Randles, a lawyer and consultant from Kansas City, is another candidate for the Republican nomination.

A Washington Post blog also is reporting the story.

Spence also faces some questions regarding his position on the board of Reliance Bank, as reported by the St. Louis Beacon.

A report posted on Politico.com at about 2:30 Friday afternoon broke the news before Kinder’s announcement.

More Republicans may enter the race now that Kinder has dropped out. The Associated Press is reporting that Chris McKee, son of controversial developer Paul McKee, has dropped his bid for Lieutenant Governor, while State Senator Brad Lager (R-Savannah) remains in the race but plans to speak with Kinder.

Calls from Patch to the Missouri Republican Committee and Spence were not immediately returned Friday afternoon.

The original story erroneously reported that Spence was the only Republican candidate currently in the race.