July 16 issue of Maryland Heights Patch did a survey of 50 establishment Republicans. Party leaders, officials, activists, and Republican cmte. people. 51% supported Akin. 45% supported Brunner. And NONE, ZERO supported Steelman.
To be fair, it's Steelman's husband's family that has the great establishment credentials - her husband was Missouri House GOP leader, his father was state party chairman. Sarah has rubbed some people the wrong way, sometimes probably a good thing, sometimes maybe unnecessarily.
I think we have a fairly conservative Party in the state in general. The legislature took conservative moves over the last decade that have protected the State. Nixon has profited by just laying low and going along.
Steeleman has acted as though she is against everyone that has been in the party previously. Even my wife is leary about the trial lawyer connections. I think her independence has been for differentiation alone and she has no allies amongst hard working conservative republican legislators. Aiken is a purist and comes across cold and ideologue. Brunner is more in line with what will appeal to the generally conservative Republican electorate of the state.
I think Brunner will get it with about 52%.