Capitol Calling

I Stay Away

Former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman will not run for the U.S. Senate or the U.S. House, a move that will likely bring a sigh of relief for U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Springfield, and the bevy of Republicans running to replace him.

Steelman had been mentioned frequently as a possible candidate for the soon-to-be-vacant federal offices. But in a statement sent to reporters, the Republican said she would take a pass to spend time with her family:

"For months I have considered running for the U. S. Senate and I have been honored and gratified by people throughout the state and country who have encouraged me to run. I loved serving the people of Missouri as State Treasurer and a State Senator, and I struggled with my decision because I know there is much work that needs to be done, or undone, in Washington.   But, I have unfinished work here.  Sam and Joe, our two oldest are in college.  However, our youngest, Michael, is 14 and I want to raise him here in Missouri –in the heart of this country, not in Washington D.C. “To everything there is a season”. This is my time to work hard as a private citizen, along with the growing number of like-minded citizens, to restore the conservative principles of freedom that made this the greatest country in the world."

Steelman's exit from the federal election cycle doesn't mean Blunt will be without a primary opponent, as state Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield, has thrown his hat into the ring. Whether he'll be able to keep up with Blunt's campaign remains an open question.

During the last election cycle, Steelman narrowly lost the GOP nomination for governor to U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia. She won huge margins in the southern part of the state - probably due to her stand against ethanol incentives. But she lost big in central and northeast Missouri, as well as St. Louis.

While Republican politicians generally gravitated to Hulshof, Steelman did get some backing from prominent elements of the party. This time around, nearly every faction of the GOP threw support behind Blunt's candidacy.

The Biggest Catch?

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt has wrangled up a bunch of endorsements over the past few weeks. But today's pair might be the biggest catches of all.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, backed Blunt's bid for the U.S. Senate today. Only one other person running for an open seat - Florida Gov. Charlie Crist - received a similar endorsement.

"He is traveling the state, engaging voters, and offering solutions to the economic, health care, and education needs facing Show Me State voters," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. "While the likely Democrat nominee prefers to remain silent or undecided on the challenges confronting our country, Roy Blunt is - as he always has - providing critical leadership at home and in Washington."

The NRSC is a major third-party group in charge of providing resources and assistance to Senate candidates. A counterpart group - known as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - has assisted probable Democratic nominee Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

The move could freeze out potential GOP challengers - such as former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman or state Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield - from being about challenge Blunt financially. Blunt has also received backing from essentially every major Missouri Republican political figure in the state.

Still, Crist's endorsement from the NRSC hasn't been without detractors. Some national figures are breaking with the decision and endorsing former House Speaker Marco Rubio's Senate bid.

Whether this news causes something similar to occur in the Show Me State remains to be seen

Blunt bags Ashcroft's endorsement

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Springfield, netted another major endorsement today in his quest for a U.S. Senate seat.

Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft threw his support behind Blunt's run today, saying in a statement that the longtime congressman will "represent our heartland values in the United States
Senate."

"We need Roy Blunt in the United States Senate to provide a check and balance to one-party liberal control in Washington," Ashcroft said in a statement.

Ashcroft - a former state attorney general, governor and U.S. Senator - is the latest GOP heavy-hitter to back Blunt.

Blunt has now received the backing of former U.S. Sens. John Danforth and Jim Talent, as well as U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri. He was also endorsed last week by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.

Former state treasurer Sarah Steelman and state Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield, haven't ruled out Senate bids. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is running as a Democrat for Bond's seat.

Kinder and Talent to endorse Blunt

For those holding out hope for a U.S. Senate bid this year by either former Sen. Jim Talent or Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, prepare to have your bubble burst.

Both men will be in St. Louis tomorrow to endorse U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt's U.S. Senate bid. Both Republican officials had been considered possible contenders for the race.

While Talent ducked out of the contest a few months ago, Kinder has kept mum on the subject since Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri, announced his retirement.

Blunt, R-Springfield, is the only announced Republican candidate. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is running for the position as a Democrat.

Two other Republicans - former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman and state Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield - are considering running as well.

Steelman looms over MO-7

Although former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman told KY3 reporter Dave Catanese that she's still mulling a U.S. Senate bid, there is speculation that she could shift to the race for the U.S. Seventh District House seat.

Such a move would throw a monkey wrench into the already crowded race. While Steelman isn't actually from the district, she won sizable majorities in MO-7 counties during her 2008 gubernatorial bid in population bubbles such as Springfield. She also teaches a class at Missouri State University.

Make no mistake, Steelman's entry into the congressional race could be a big deal. Former contestants in statewide contests have experience in wrangling up staffers, formulating a media blitz and traveling long distances to reach out to voters. They also carry fairly substantial name recognition.

Even though he lost in 2004, some have pointed to Blaine Luetkemeyer's experience in running for state treasurer as a major asset in his 2008 congressional bid.

But all this talk could be moot if Steelman decided to square off against U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Springfield, in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate. And many of the other candidates in the MO-7 sweepstakes - such as Sens. Gary Nodler, and Jack Goodman, Billy Long and Darrell Moore - are not exactly pushovers.

Still, it's fun to speculate.

It would be a weird twist of fate if Steelman and Luetkemeyer both ended up in the U.S. House together. The two ran against each other in the 2004 race for treasurer, a contest that Steelman eventually won in the general election.

Danforth backs Blunt

EVANSTON - The endorsement train keeps on rolling for U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt.

Blunt, R-Springfield, received the support of former Sen. John Danforth tonight. The backing came after a candidate Danforth was touting - Thomas Schweich - dropped out of the race to replace U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri.

"Senator Danforth's public service to our state and to our nation hasbeen tremendous and it means a lot to me to have his personal support and endorsement," Blunt said in a statement. "I have appreciated Jack's warm personal friendship through the years and am very much looking forward to campaigning with him."

When Danforth came to Jefferson City last month to pump up Schweich's potential Senate bid, I asked him if he could support Blunt or former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman. I also asked whether either candidate could beat Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

Here's a clip:

KC Star: Schweich passes on Senate bid

EVANSTON - Steve Kraske of the KC Star is reporting that Thomas Schweich will not run for the U.S. Senate next year.

Schweich, a visiting law professor at Washington University, had been touted as a potential alternative to U.S. Roy Blunt or former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman in the Republican primary. But according to Kraske, Schweich decided to stay out of the race and back Blunt's bid for Senate.

Robin Carnahan is the only announced Democrat running for the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri.

You can read Kraske's post here.

Hannibal Highlights

I did not make it up to Hannibal this year for the annual extravaganza known as Democrat Days. With the help of Combest, here are some highlights:

- Arguably the most substantive news from the event is a potential deal to have hospitals pick up the tab for a proposed Medicaid expansion. Gov. Jay Nixon is going around the state this week to announce the plan. According to the AP, Republicans seem rather cool to the idea.

- Secretary of State Robin Carnahan took some questions from reporters on social issues and the federal stimulus plan. David Catanese wrote about how the Democrat U.S. Senate candidate is not saying how she would have voted on certain issues.

- Lyndon Bode won't pursue another congressional run, but Judy Baker might. And Sara Lampe and Rachel Storch might have statewide ambitions.

- On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Strafford, provided the GOP response to President Barack Obama's radio address. Sarah Steelman criticized a Republican press release attacking Carnahan. And Sen. Claire McCaskill compared Steelman to Sarah Palin.

- By far the most entertaining nugget from the weekend comes from Catanese, who posted a video of McCaskill recording several reporters with a small video camera. The first-term senator asked reporters a raft of questions, including whether inserting videos into blogs was "cheating." Tony Messenger also plugged his Twitter stream.

Catanese pretty much hit the nail on the head. I tend to agree with him that Web videos provide an additional dimension to reporting. When done responsibly, giving readers a face and a voice behind printed verbiage ensures a degree of transparency and creditability. While Web videos are certainly not a replacement for a well-written analysis, they can provide an important – and entertaining – supplement.

Hopefully when McCaskill comes to Mid-Missouri, she can get video of me recording a tracker recording another tracker.

Blunt quizzed on Steelman primary challenge, Delay ties

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt was asked about the potential primary challenge from former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman. He was also asked about his ties to former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas.

Here's a clip:

Club for Growth: Too early to make pick for Bond's seat

The Politico detailed today how U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt is mulling over a bid for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri.

Sources told Politico reporter Josh Kraushaar that the Strafford Republican is rounding up fundraising support for the contest. The moves could freeze out potentially serious competitors - such as former U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, R-Missouri, and former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman - from running.

Kraushaar also wrote that Steelman might have to look to "D.C.-based conservative organizations looking for an anti-establishment candidate in line with their agenda." One organization that seems to fit that mold is the Club for Growth, a group that Steelman cited during the GOP gubernatorial primary to criticize U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof's spending record. The group made waves by throwing money behind then-state Rep. Bob Onder's unsuccessful congressional bid.

The group hasn't been shy about shaking the cage of the Republican establishment. They have been fiercely critical, for instance, of Bond's record on spending over the last few years.

Club for Growth spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik said her organization hasn't made a decision on who to support in the Missouri's 2010 Senate race.

"We're looking at it. We're looking at all of the open Senate seats," Soloveichik said. "It's pretty early. So, the extent to which we're looking is not so intense yet. We're nowhere near making an endorsement and I don't know if we will. That's going to come somewhere down the pipe."

Soloveichik might have a point. Blunt and Steelman haven't even officially announced they will run for the seat.

"It just depends," said Soloveichik when asked if the Missouri Senate contest would get a closer look because it's a vacant seat. "It depends on who's running, what the field looks like, what the other seats look like. There are too many variables. It's impossible to know right now."

Soloveichik added that none of the potential Republican candidates have personally reached out to Club for Growth. She said she would get back to me if she found out anything different.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is widely considered the Democratic choice to run for Bond's seat.