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It's just hard to believe that lying is a feature in Ed Martin's latest adventure, just like it's been a key characteristic of all his other adventures. 

Hilarious.

Ed Martin invites Ambassador Wagner to Pledge to Focus on Issues not Personal Attacks
It’s Time to Embrace Reagan’s 11th Commandment:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Louis – July 11, 2011 – Today, Ed Martin reached out to his Republican opponent and invited Ambassador Wagner to pledge to focus on the issues and not personal attacks.

“Ambassador Wagner has worked for the Republican party at various levels and is, I feel certain, well aware of President Reagan’s 11th Commandment.  I believe that we have to drain the swamp that is Washington, DC of the various liberals,” said Martin.  ”What Ronald Reagan always sought was vigorous and serious debate about the direction of America – to make life better for all – and no attacks against each other. I hope Ambassador Wagner will join me in making sure we follow President Reagan’s lead.

Ed Martin has invited Wagner to join him this Wednesday for a public pledge to observe Reagan’s Commandment.  This event will take place at 11 am with the location to be determined.

For more information, please email press@edmartinforcongress.com or call (314) 435-4008.

Listen to State Sen. Jane Cunningham's interview taped this morning with GOP radio host Jamie Allman here.

In it, Cunningham announces that she'll be running for re-election to the state Senate in 2012, and will not be joining Ann Wagner and Ed Martin in the GOP primary for the Second Congressional District. 

Try not to barf on your keyboard when Allman gushes, "I think you have a governorship in your future someday, you have a role in Congress someday..." 

Provided that you can still access heaven before Barry Soetoro and Russ Carnahan shut it down, of course. 

Rumor is that Ed Martin has nabbed the support of former state representative Cynthia Davis in the 2nd Congressional contest.

Via Reboot Congress. Try not to vomit on your keyboard.

TODD AKIN, ED MARTIN: SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Dave Drebes says lobbyist and former GOP legislator from Kirkwood Michael Gibbons "will look at running" for Congress in the new Second Congressional District against Ann Wagner, Ed Martin and Jane Cunningham.

Gibbons was also the Republican candidate for Attorney General in 2008, losing to Chris Koster.

Today in fun web videos....

h/t Show Me Progress

The Beacon's Jo Mannies has the story: "State Sen. Jane Cunningham says there's no doubt what she's doing after the General Assembly ends this session on Friday. She's planning to launch her 2012 campaign for Congress. "I'm in,'' said Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, on Tuesday, referring to the increasingly crowded field for the 2nd Congressional District...But Cunningham -- who has made no secret of her own interest  for weeks -- emphasized she won't formally announce until the district's incumbent congressman -- fellow Republican Todd Akin of Town and Country -- officially declares he's running in 2012  for the U.S. Senate.'I'm very sensitive to being honorable to him,' Cunningham said. 'It's totally up to him.'"

Good luck, Ed. You're going to need it.

Nutz: During a conference call with Ed Martin, former Chief of Staff for Governor Matt Blunt and hopeful Republican Senate candidate, I asked him about the current debate surrounding the raising of the debt limit. His answer was very direct. 'I don’t believe Tim Geithner when he says we have to do it. I have not seen anything that makes me think there is a plausible reason.  I don’t see myself voting for it.'"

Note that Martin isn't saying he'd vote against raising the debt ceiling to make a political point, or because such a threat might help in negotiating other matters of policy.  He thinks that the move is entirely unnecessary.

Back in the real world, we know that purposefully forcing the United States government to default on its debt payments would be catastrophic.

Wha? You're not one of the wealthiest 1% of Americans? Bummer.

MARK REARDON: Q:  Have you had a chance to look at [Paul Ryan's] plan and to see what he's talking about?  Is that something you would support?

ANN WAGNER: Absolutely.  I will tell you, Paul Ryan is a great leader and is, frankly, the Republican leadership and Paul Ryan are some of the only leaders in Washington, DC right now.

Listen:

You may not even have to change your bumper stickers!

Sarah Steelman spokesperson Politico reporter/pundit Dave Catanese: "Missouri Senate candidate Ed Martin left open the possibility of switching gears to the U.S. House contest Tuesday if Rep. Todd Akin follows through with plans to pursue a Senate bid...While stressing "it is premature to consider who his replacement might be," Martin's careful wording indicates that a shift to House run in the 2nd Congressional District is a distinct and growing possibility."

UPDATE: After this post hit the internets, the Wagner campaign pulled down their new site, but a working version is still online at http://www.annwagner.com/v2/
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A few hours before Ann Wagner's "major announcement" on GOP radio in St. Louis, AnnWagner.com already states that she's running for Congress. Specifically, she plans on running "in the likely event Missouri's Second Congressional District becomes an open seat in 2012." (Read: Todd Akin is running for the U.S. Senate).

Here's the announcement:

St. Louis - Ann Wagner today announced she has formed an exploratory committee, the first step toward launching a campaign for U.S. Congress.  Wagner said she is exploring a possible race for Congress in the likely event Missouri's Second Congressional District becomes an open seat in 2012.

"My concern for the future of our country, our families and my home region is the reason I'm announcing an exploratory committee for U.S. Congress. The 2nd Congressional District is the place where my husband Ray and I grew up, went to school, raised our children, work and go to church.  Now the future of the people and the place that we love is being threatened by failed leadership in Washington that is dragging us down a path of ruin.

The Riverfront Times:

To us, that suggests Akin is the lone local incumbent in this election cycle who's refusing to have a single debate with his challengers. [Akin spokesman Steve Taylor] wouldn't agree.

"Congressman Akin has written a variety of parallel essays/editorial opinions with Mr. Lieber for the Beacon," he says. "There has been a sharing of opinions and a voter's forum between Akin and Lieber."

A series of blogs serving as a voter's forum? That might be going a little bit far. But not to Akin's team, apparently.

"He has debated with written parallel editorials in the Beacon," Taylor insists.

In other words, the League of Women Voters better not count on a face-to-face meeting between candidates any time soon. And as for the voters in the second congressional district ... you'd better enjoy reading policy papers online. That may be all the "debate" you get this year.

One of the lamest excuses for avoiding debates I've seen. It's so terrible, I almost feel bad for Akin's spokesperson. What, precisely, is Todd Akin afraid he might happen to jeopardize his reelection chances? 

Dave Drebes has the details on Liz Lauber's economic policy platform over at The Arch City Chronicle. Lauber, a former Congressional staffer for Republican Congressmen Dick Armey and Christopher Cox, has outlines her free market proposals in the plan and doesn't have a lot of nice things to say about Obama or Democratic leaders.  She also doesn't mince words about the record of the GOP leaders from the Bush years.

And contrary to popular perception perpetuated by the elites in politics and media, these [tea party] protesters are not just angry at the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress; they don't trust the Republicans in Congress either. And why should they after seeing the runaway spending that was racked up under the former Republican-controlled Congress?