Last December, state Rep. Rachel Storch, D-64th District, was among those at the annual Christmas party given by the Roberts Co., the real estate and communications business owned by brothers Michael and Steve Roberts. Storch's attendance demonstrated the good relations she enjoys with the brothers. So, nobody was more surprised than she when, about four months after the party, the son of Michael Roberts, Michael Roberts Jr. -- he prefers "Mike" -- announced that he would challenge Storch in the Aug. 5 Democratic primary.

In the 64th district

Rachel Storch, left, is being challenged by Mike Roberts in the Democratic Primary.

By the middle of June, 5" x 15" red, white and blue campaign signs featuring a boyish-looking Roberts began showing up on doorknobs in parts of the district. The signs are among young Roberts' first visible efforts to gain political traction in his seemingly lopsided race against Storch, regarded as one of the hardest-working leaders in Democratic politics.

Even Roberts admits that he didn't realize the extent of Storch's work and influence in the Democratic Party when he decided to run. He soon would learn that she happened to chair the House Democratic Campaign Committee, which grooms and supports candidates to help the party's ongoing effort to reclaim a House majority. He also got a glimpse of her standing in the party when she was given the honor of introducing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to those attending a fundraiser in downtown St. Louis.

The Obama Effect

So, why is a neophyte trying to buck this political tide? The short answer is Obama. Roberts says he owes his inspiration to run to Obama. Still, he says he respects Storch. 

"I was unaware at the time of her duties," Roberts says of Storch. "Everything came to light later. Party leaders were surprised that I was running. But this is what politics is all about, people wanting strong leaders. When I run, I will show I will do a better job."

He says that no party leaders spoke directly to him about his decision to enter the race. "They would speak to others close to me. But, no, I never thought of dropping out. It's my time. People are hungry for new leaders in politics. I'm not suggesting that she hasn't done a good job. But people need inspiration. Obama made history, and that really inspired me to run."

In his campaign, Roberts has spoken generally about addressing education, health and economic issues. His campaign motto is "I'm not in it for a job, I'm in it to get the job done!" But it's unclear how many beyond his immediate family have signed on. He has yet to discuss endorsements beyond saying that his father and uncle -- both of whom are former aldermen -- and family members support him. Nor has he spoken about how much money he hopes to raise and from what sources.

A statewide leader

By the April 15 reporting period, Storch had raised about $35,000, with about $22,000 on hand. Her list of re-election endorsements reads like a who's who in Democratic politics, ranging from state Attorney General Jay Nixon, who is running for governor, to state party chief John Temporiti, to local officials such as city Comptroller Darlene Green. The diversity among her backers shows her appeal in a district that is about 65 percent white and crosses city boundaries into University City to take in a small portion of St. Louis County voters.

In addition to campaigning on district-related health, education and economic issues that Roberts has raised, Storch also talks about issues affecting the entire state. These include: property tax relief; how to replace highway funds once the federal government begins reducing its allocations to states; how to invest in life sciences through tax credits and other methods; how to improve the economic climate in a state that's losing good-paying, low-tech jobs, such as those in the auto industry.

With help from the Legislature, Storch says that Missouri could become a leader in initiatives involving life sciences. The bulk of the state's funding in this area comes from one-quarter of the state's annual proceeds of over $100 million from the tobacco settlement. The money for the life sciences portion, $21 million, is deposited in the state's Life Sciences Research Trust Fund. That may sound like a lot of cash, but it pales in relation to what some other states are doing. State lawmakers in Massachusetts recently pumped $1 billion into its life sciences industry, and the governor of Maryland promises to establish a $1 billion life sciences fund for his state, too. And Storch hopes to wake up Missouri lawmakers by reminding them that even Kansas is outdistancing Missouri with a $600 million fund for life sciences.

The Email Attack

Although Storch is popular among voters, a few people used anonymous emails to assail her earlier this year for her work as a temporary paid staffer for Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign. The emails argued that her role in the Clinton campaign and her state-level responsibilities in the Democratic Party kept her from paying closer attention to issues in her district.

Storch says voters should be wary of the source of this criticism. It's unclear, she says, whether the information came from Roberts' supporters or even from Republicans who might want to make it hard for her to win re-election. She adds that those who criticize her for taking a job on Clinton's campaign are being disingenuous since almost without exception, state lawmakers have second jobs. Besides, she notes, she works incredibly hard for her district. Roberts denies that his campaign or supporters had anything to do with the emails.

The Photo Shoot

One thing Roberts has learned the hard way is that politicians must be careful both with what they say and with what they do. One recent party photograph of Roberts surrounded by two young beauties has found its way onto the Internet. The hip-hop generation is unlikely to see anything unsettling about this photo, but to others it was an unflattering picture for a political candidate. When first asked about the photo, Roberts chose not to discuss it. He then said he was single, 29 years old and likes to have fun, adding that the photo was irrelevant to the campaign. He may be right, although it certainly generated some buzz and tittering.

In any case, Roberts remains a puzzle among some Democrats, the neophyte who leaves many of his political elders scratching their heads. Maybe the next campaign reporting period -- this will be his first one -- will shed light on the questions he has yet to answer: Who among key Democrats can he count on for endorsements and financial backing in his Aug. 5 primary race against such a respected incumbent?