 editor of the Star Times complained had Bennett Clark “stood shoulder to shoulder” with the governor against the remnants of the Pendergast machine, Missouri would be a much better place to live. The editorial outrage of the Star Times was largely ignored and the leader of the St. Louis machine, Robert Hannegan, was slowly changing his own political attitude. Much of the St. Louis machine had been prepared to back Stark, but Hannegan was having second thoughts.
A differing editorial opinion was shared with the readers of the Jefferson City Post Tribune who opined nobody brewed hatred of the governor but Lloyd Stark himself. The Post Tribune flatly stated Stark’s pursuit of the vice presidential nomination, which failed to interest much of anyone, “cost him prestige at home” and noted “it’s going to take those orchards a long time” to make up for “all those apples given away for free” at the Democratic National Convention to promote Governor Stark’s failed candidacy. It was an accurate assessment.
As the primary campaign became more heated, Bennett Clark’s pushing Maurice Milligan into the senatorial contest proved to be quite shrewd. Governor Stark and Milligan each tried to claim credit for the fall of T. J. Pendergast and destroying the Kansas City machine. While Maurice Milligan and Lloyd Stark bickered over who was the true giant killer, Senator Truman ignored the attacks on the Pendergast machine and talked about national issues.
Senator Bennett Clark continued his furious verbal assault on Governor Stark and publicly said he was backing neither Truman nor Milligan; he frankly stated his concern was seeing Lloyd Stark defeated. Privately, Clark was for Truman.
As the senatorial primary campaign came to a close, Governor Stark charged that Senator Truman was the beneficiary of a large “slush fund” raised by what was left of the Pendergast machine. A furious Truman, who struggled to raise money for his campaign, retorted that the governor had pressured state employees for contributions for his own campaign, as well as contractors doing business with the state.
Truman declared, “If they approve my record in the Senate, I will be renominated and I know the voters of Missouri approve my record because I will be renominated.”
In the end, it all came down to St. Louis. Bob Hannegan quietly sent out the word to ward leaders he was for Truman. Lloyd Stark carried outstate Missouri, while Truman carried Kansas City, but as expected, his majority in Jackson County was about a third of what it had been six years earlier. Still, Harry Truman carried St. Louis and eked out a win by less than 8,000 votes.
Lloyd Stark’s political career came to an end, a bitter defeat for a man who had thought the presidency was within his grasp. As it turned out, it would be Harry S. Truman who would become President of the United States.