A shocker out of Missouri:
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, just announced that he’s not running for re-election this fall.
In a statement that shocked political leaders in both parties, Blunt released a TV address “announcing that having achieved virtually everything he set out to accomplish when he ran for governor, he will not seek a second term.
Still waiting to see how this one shakes out, but Blunt seemed doomed against state AG Jay Nixon (D) in the general election this year. Could the GOP find a strong contender to make this race safer for them?
So we just start calling him Governor Nixon now?
If nothing else it shows he is a cocky little snot with his “I’m so great there’s nothing left to do.” Unless they find a superstar/universally known candidate, I have to think this is good news for Jay Nixon. While Blunt wasn’t popular, he wasn’t down in Kathleen Blanco/Ernie Fletcher territory either. You really wonder if there is something else to this.
Onward to Indiana and Vermont! Need those Governors.
More good news for the Democrats. Could have 30 governors in charge of redistricting for 2010.
I would like them all to put it into their state constitution that redistricting has to be done using population only (no demographics), and the map designed to have the shortest total borders.
I’m wondering if this is a move that helps his career down the line. A defeat now would have been troublesome, but he avoids that by stepping aside. I’d look for him to be a player again in a few years.
This is definitely good news for Nixon.
But I’d read that recently-defeated Senator Jim Talent was rumored to be interested, he narrowly lost the office to “One-Term” Bob Holden in 2000. Having either won statewide or lost by a hair 3 times in 8 years, he would seem to fit the superstar/universally known category, and I have to think he’d be formidable, especially with a MO-friendly Republican at the top of the ticket, whoever that would be (Talent is a Romney man himself). Hope this was mere idle speculation, since a Democratic pickup here would surely help the Democratic ticket in this bellwether state.
he’s looking to revamp himself for a run against Claire McCaskill in 2012?
I’m surprised at how clever this is. I did not think any member of that family was smart enough to read the dice in time. He avoids a career-crushing defeat, and, young as he is, preserves every option for the future.
Thank God Nixon began campaigning early and effectively. If Talent is the nominee this will be a much harder race, but not necessarily an impossible one – only because the campaign has gotten the name Nixon right out there.
I won’t add how truly strange it feels to anyone my age, to be rooting for someone with that damaged name.
and increases their chances not only for the governorship, but also to pick up MO in the GE. For either HRC or BO.
missouri is a fascinating state. in a democratic year, its republican governors and senators have lost. in a republican year they win. this is looking like it’s more likely (though not certain) to be a democratic year, so who steps up on the repuiblican side? and can they clear the field in one of those rare opportunities where the candidate has a 45-50% chance of winning a very big race?
the heavyweights out there are of course – john ashcroft and jim talent, who both lost their last races narrowly but have name rec and are generally respected by the state GOP…but they did lose the last time – and as i see from the way democrats talk about john kerry, losing is not something activists embrace.
hulshof looks like the guy the gop will pick and isn’t a heavyweight, but if he can clear the field it’ll be a tossup. i hope it’s good (un)healthy fight for the gop.