2010 Senate Race

A coalition of "Patriot, Liberty, Tea Party and 912 groups" has announced plans for a U.S. Senate candidate forum in Jefferson City on March 20th.  The event is apparently open to all GOP and Constitution party candidates, and organizers hope the forum provides "an opportunity for the grassroots to unite behind a candidate that truly represents our values and beliefs."

An email initiation sent to prospective participants from Campaign for Liberty activist Laura Hausladen explains in an email to prospective event co-sponsors:

We do not know what the mood is all across the state in regard to this race, but in the mid-east area, there is a great deal of restlessness and discord over the apparent anointment of Blunt by the Republican Party as the only viable candidate to fill the senate seat being vacated by Senator Christopher Bond.  In the spirit of the people choosing the candidate, there is a need for all the patriot groups to come together and help host a candidate forum to vet these candidates during this primary season and not just blindly follow party politics.  We may not have a consensus between groups at the end of the forum, but this is an important part of the process and a great way to meet and hear the candidates running for the US Senate here in Missouri in 2010. It's also an opportunity for the grassroots to unite behind a candidate that truly represents our values and beliefs.

UPDATE: Jason Rosenbaum correctly points out that the RNC document does not list any open seats currently held by Republicans. I feel silly.

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The same Republican National Committee presentation that outlines a fundraising plan to capitalize on fear and the promise to save America from Barack Obama's alleged socialism makes no mention of the U.S. Senate race in Missouri in its list of key targets.  Check out slide 21 of the RNC Finance Leadership Meeting presentation:

Perhaps the RNC is simply following through on Michael Steele's promise to flush bad candidates down "the crapper."

"I think Roy Blunt had an opportunity when we [Republicans] were in leadership in Congress and they blew it... They rung up additional debt to this nation. They added unfunded liabilities that we can’t pay now, so we can’t afford any more of that leadership."

Sen. Chuck Purgason speaking this weekend with Steve Walsh for The Missouri Record

"They're wanting to ignore that their candidate is part of the problem."

~ Sen. Chuck Purgasonon the GOP establishment's embrace of Roy Blunt despite Blunt's key role in passing unbalanced budgets for George W. Bush, expanding Medicare Part D coverage without even attempting to pay for the new spending, and negotiating the TARP bailout in 2008

State Sen. Chuck Purgason is asking his fellow candidates in the GOP primary for Senate -- Rep. Roy Blunt, Robert Praprotnik and Mark Memoly -- to sign his "Contract with Missouri." Here are Purgason's promises, as outlined in the News-Leader:

1. Balanced Budget
2. No Earmarks
3. No member of my family will be a lobbyist
4. No TARP or other so-called Stimulus Package programs
5. No Campaign Funds from Bailed Out Companies
6. I will have no fundraisers outside the State of Missouri
7. Self-Imposed Term Limit of Two Terms

Of course, Roy Blunt can't promise to do any of these things. 

The Missourian has the story this weekend of another challenge from the right in the contest for the U.S. Senate -- Robert Praprotnik, a veteran and businessman from St. Louis. As the paper notes, Praprotnik sells himself as a "Reagan conservative," and vows to reduce taxes and "re-establish the Constitution as the law of the Land."

From Praprotnik's website:

We are in a situation where the two parties, Democrats and Republicans, simply vote the party line and not the people want. I want to change that. It's time to vote out of office all of these incumbent politicians. We live in the Greatest Country in the world. Let us start acting that way.

I look forward to all TRUE Conservatives, Republican, Democrat, or Independent, and anyone else who believes in preserving our freedoms and re-building our economy unite and support my candidacy for the Senate of the United States for the Great State of Missouri.

Appearing earlier this evening on Hardball, NBC Political Director and Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd was quite bearish on Roy Blunt's ability to capitalize on any anti-incumbent sentiment this year.  In his words, "the open seat in Missouri is a real problem for Republicans because they nominated somebody that isn`t very anti-Washington in Roy Blunt." Chuck Purgason might take issue with the assertion that Blunt has already been nominated, but it would be hard for anyone to argue that Roy Blunt isn't the consummate Washington politician. Watch it:

Posted today by The Associated Press:

If Republican Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts gave the party new energy, their Senate recruits are more like an attempt at renewable fuel. The circumstances of Brown's upset victory two weeks ago are hard to recreate on their own, but even more so when the GOP's pack of Senate hopefuls have such extensive ties to a city that's rapidly becoming anathema to much of America...

"People right now are really disenchanted with the way things are done and bringing back familiar faces is not really the way to do it, or at least it hasn't been," said Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University.

The GOP recruits present "a tactical problem," he said.

State Senator Chuck Purgason emailed a statement today criticizing his GOP primary opponent, Rep. Roy Blunt, for supporting years of deficit spending and Washington, and for highlighting Blunt's strong support from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 

Voting for a budget, wishing it was balanced, and putting off tough decisions cannot continue. We must have leaders willing to stand up and work until the budget is balanced and committed to voting for a budget only if it is balanced.

With the federal government borrowing $20,000,000,000.00 a week just to pay the bills, we must swear off the passing of earmarks. We cannot allow members of Congress to continue with the credit cards running up debt on this country.

Purgason's statement also points to the $96,950 in campaign contributions Blunt received from individuals and PACs connected to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 1989-2008.  Purgason incorrectly states that "Blunt has taken more PAC money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than any member of Congress" -- Spencer Bachus accepted $103,000 during that same time span -- but the point is made.

Via The Turner Report, the MDP has posted audio of KZRG reporter Josh Marsh breaking down Roy Blunt's problems as a Washington insider with a long record of scandal and irresponsible leadership.

Missourinet:

The YouGovPolimetrix survey has Carnahan with a 43 to 39 percentage point lead over Blunt among decided voters ... and shows Carnahan with a 40 to 34 percentage point lead over State Senator Chuck Purgason, who is also in the contest for the GOP nomination.

Ken Newton has a new column in The News-Press today about fallibility and accountability. Most of the column focuses on state Sen. Chuck Purgason's critique of Rep. Roy Blunt's trouble record in the Washington GOP leadership.

Mr. Purgason has a gift for saying uncomfortable things.

A candidate for the U.S. Senate, he spoke to the Northwest Missouri Republican Club and dispensed some bitter medicine.

The GOP did not lose the White House and majorities of both houses of Congress because of a popular shift in national priorities, he insisted. Instead, the party fell behind because its leaders forgot their priorities.

The Missouri Democratic Party has posted videos captured by their tracker from the Chuck Purgason's campaign stop in St. Joseph Thursday.

Here's Rep. Rob Schaaf praising Purgason for his independence from lobbyists, hard work , being a "non-RINO Republican" and fiscal conservatism. "If they voters have any brains, they will elect him to be our next United States Senator," he said.  

Chuck Todd, NBC News' Political Director and Chief White House Correspondent, continues to rank the Missouri Senate race as Democrats' top pickup opportunity, pointing to the impossibility of Roy Blunt tapping into any "outsider magic."

Emboldened by the success of Scott Brown's outsider campaign in Massachusetts, State Sen. Chuck Purgason's campaign appeared to be picking up a little steam at a stop in St. Joseph last night.  In his report on Purgason's visit to St. Joseph, News-Press reporter Ken Newton writes that Purgason's campaign "carried an extra spark" because of Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts Tuesday. 

Indeed, Newton reports that Purgason now has the public support of two area legislators -- Reps. Jim Guest and Rob Schaaf.  

“Maybe he’ll be the Scott Brown of Missouri,” said state Rep. Jim Guest, R-King City, referring to the Massachusetts senator-elect...

State Rep. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, offered Mr. Purgason his endorsement. “He’s the true Republican in this race,” the representative said.

Purgason has relentlessly criticized Roy Blunt straying from "the principles of our party" in Washington, especially for Republicans' deficit spending, support for earmark spending, leadership in passing the TARP bailout and support for the Cash for Clunkers stimulus program.