Supporters of an effort to get on the November ballot a measure to eliminate affirmative action in Missouri missed their midnight deadline last night. In all likelihood, it was not a strategic blunder, but probably due to the group not having collected enough signatures to get it on the ballot.

The main figure behind the controversial initiative, California business Ward Connerly, who is African-American, had targeted five states, including Missouri. Connerly was successful at getting a similar measure passed in California in 1996.

Perhaps the most significant affect of the measure dying early is that such a racially inflammatory proposal will now have no chance of appearing on the same ballot which could possibly elect the nation’s first African-American president.