What died with Mel Carnahan in the plane? His son, his advisor and democracy-at least for a time.

Jean Carnahan has suddenly appeared on the scene of the nation’s most anticipated Senate race, and she has pulled Democratic voters out of the woodwork in unimaginable fashion. And for the first time in many months, a Carnahan has a significant lead.

Republicans are furious. What did they do to deserve this? John Ashcroft is acting like a victim and has decided to declare war on everybody, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

After Gov. Roger Wilson’s announcement of his intentions to appoint the late governor’s widow to his seat if he wins, letters poured into the paper. Some of them praised the new head of state. Some of them condemned Wilson. Some even said, “I wish she had been on that plane with him, so that she couldn’t do this.”

Yes, I can understand the right’s frustration. Ashcroft is now running against a dead man who has been immortalized in the same fashion that popular leaders are often remembered upon their passing. Sympathy has poured forth for a dead opposition, who is now leading.

But I must point out that Jean Carnahan is doing more than just replacing her husband. She is returning democracy to the state of Missouri, and for her it won’t be easy. Losing would almost be easier. She has to face a criticizing and seething opposition. She has to face colleagues like Trent Lott, who has hinted that he will refuse her the seat.

She doesn’t do this because she is trying to anger Republicans. She is doing it so that Missouri has a choice. What died in that plane wasn’t just three men. What died was a Governor and two other incredible human beings.

When men or women take a seat of power, they become more than just humans. They become vessels that carry the hopes and dreams of the people who elected them.

They carry the hopes of the mothers who long for better education for their children.

They carry the hopes of those who look to their government to assist them when our system has marginalized them.

They carry with them the hopes of those who want to see their communities become better places.

And if a Republican leader had died, then the same qualities would have been lost.

To those who believe in our leaders and look to them for leadership, the loss of that person means the loss of the vessel to which people entrust their futures.

For that reason, Jean had to pick up where Mel left off.

The differences in the two parties is one of theory-a theory about how our state should be run.

For about half of the population, John Ashcroft is not an option. It is not because he is evil (though for some that may be the reason), it is because he simply doesn’t agree with those people’s theory on how to run our state. Some people just can’t vote for Ashcroft because he isn’t their choice.

Jean has given them a choice. In that choice democracy rests. It is that choice that democracy offers us.

On the other hand, this race has become the game-7, tied-score, ninth-inning, play-at-the-plate of political races. We don’t even know what will happen after the election. Politically, socially and legally, we have no answer for this.

If Mel wins, the Republicans will sue. Is it Constitutional? Don’t you have to be a citizen to win a Senate seat? If you’re dead, you aren’t a citizen. You also can’t declare that a vote for one person is really a vote for another. Did Roger Wilson do that?

All these questions make this race fascinating to the whole country. The only thing we need now is for the Electoral College votes to come back tied. So watch this piece of history unfold. This is our most basic democratic system working in unprecedented areas.

But don’t blame Jean. She is truly facing a daunting task. It won’t be fun for her.

But for Missouri, she is the only one who can keep the fire of democracy burning.