No Talent in Missouri

[JohnnyLongtorso]

And I'm not talking about Yakov Smirnoff.

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Also thinking about it: Sam Graves, Ed Martin (seriously?), Ann Wagner.

You know, if the Republicans are that set on running rematches, they could always try to get Conrad Burns to come back.

[Keystone Phil]

Oh well. I actually like Talent. I guess Steelman or Barnes will be acceptable.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Nice pun.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Should we shift this seat from Tossup to Likely Democratic, or Likely Democratic to Democratic Favored? Steelman is a weak candidate who couldn't even win her party's nomination for Governor in 2008, Ed Martin is a crazy teabagger, and I've never even heard of Ann Wagner. Graves could give McCaskill a run, but as someone said on here, elections are historically close in Missouri, but I think Claire will have the edge now with Jim Talent out of the way.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

No, it's Missouri, it'll be tied until mid-October.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Apparently Jo Ann Emerson is giving it thought.

[SvenssonRS]

Apparently Jo Ann Emerson is giving it thought.

Isn't she, like, severely moderate? I doubt that'd get through a Missouri primary, in all honesty, especially given the fact that Graves is considering it and Steelman is already in.

P.S. THANK YOU, TALENT, FOR FINALLY DECIDING TO DO SOMETHING DECENT.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

No, she's the prototypical backbencher; never does anything newsworthy and a party-line Republican vote in the House.

[SvenssonRS]

No, she's the prototypical backbencher; never does anything newsworthy and a party-line Republican vote in the House.

Guess that's why there's so little Wiki information on her, then.

[DrScholl]

Emerson is definitely a moderate by certain standards. She voted to overturn Bush's stem cell research ban and she was one of the few Republicans who supported condemning Joe Wilson's "You Lie!" outburst. She definitely would not be liked by the Tea Party.

[SvenssonRS]

Emerson is definitely a moderate by certain standards. She voted to overturn Bush's stem cell research ban and she was one of the few Republicans who supported condemning Joe Wilson's "You Lie!" outburst. She definitely would not be liked by the Tea Party.

It's not so much the Tea Party as it is Missouri. I doubt she'd have won a Senate primary even before their advent.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Should we shift this seat from Tossup to Likely Democratic, or Likely Democratic to Democratic Favored? Steelman is a weak candidate who couldn't even win her party's nomination for Governor in 2008, Ed Martin is a crazy teabagger, and I've never even heard of Ann Wagner. Graves could give McCaskill a run, but as someone said on here, elections are historically close in Missouri, but I think Claire will have the edge now with Jim Talent out of the way.

Ah, didn't Claire McCasikil lose a primary for Governor in 2004?


My view of 2008 was that Steelman did far better then she should have. Whether that was because of anything special about her, or due to Hulshuf sucking so bad, is another matter.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Agreed. Jo Ann Emerson is too moderate to win a statewide GOP primary. She's a part of the Republican Main Street Partnership, and back in 2007, she was one of only four Republicans in the House to vote to withdraw troops from Iraq. I don't think she's very well known outside of Southeast Missouri, where she's extremely popular and I know a number of Democrats here who vote for her. I don't think she'd give up a seat in the House that is hers until she dies or retires for a risky Senate bid.

Keep in mind that the Tea Party-backed State Senator Chuck Purgason lost to the establishment candidate Roy Blunt in the GOP U.S. Senate Primary in 2010 by a large margin. There's no telling who the Republicans will nominate. Todd Akin and Blaine Luetkemeyer are both members of the Tea Party Caucus; Emerson and Graves aren't, but Graves is far more conservative than Emerson. He's the favorite, right now, in my opinion.

[redcommander]

Blunt wasn't exactly that Conservative and managed to win. I say Emerson has a chance and would probably be the strongest candidate available considering her independent streak.

[albaleman]

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Blunt wasn't exactly that Conservative and managed to win. I say Emerson has a chance and would probably be the strongest candidate available considering her independent streak.

Blunt was a conservative, an establishment conservative.


Its a completely different league from being a moderate in a statewide MO primary.

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

[CatoMinor]

And I'm not talking about Yakov Smirnoff.

[albaleman]

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

He's weak but the rest of the MO GOP bench is even weaker than he is.

[SvenssonRS]

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

He's weak but the rest of the MO GOP bench is even weaker than he is.

Uh...Graves, Kinder, Wagner...

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

He's weak but the rest of the MO GOP bench is even weaker than he is.

Weak, compared to what though? For some reason I get the feeling you guys are setting the bar considerably higher then it should be or needs to be.

[redcommander]

Blunt wasn't exactly that Conservative and managed to win. I say Emerson has a chance and would probably be the strongest candidate available considering her independent streak.

Blunt was a conservative, an establishment conservative.


Its a completely different league from being a moderate in a statewide MO primary.

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

I wouldn't call Emerson a RINO though, she has an independent streak there's a difference.

[SvenssonRS]

Blunt wasn't exactly that Conservative and managed to win. I say Emerson has a chance and would probably be the strongest candidate available considering her independent streak.

Blunt was a conservative, an establishment conservative.


Its a completely different league from being a moderate in a statewide MO primary.

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

I wouldn't call Emerson a RINO though, she has an independent streak there's a difference.

Tell that to Missouri.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

He's weak but the rest of the MO GOP bench is even weaker than he is.

Uh...Graves, Kinder, Wagner...

Peter Kinder is of the David Dreier/Mark Foley Republicans, if you catch my drift. He's not what I'd call a strong candidate.

[SvenssonRS]

Very good news for McCaskill. The GOP bench is surprisingly poor in MO considering that it is a Republican-leaning state.

I was under the impression that Talent was weak. I wouldn't be celebrating.

He's weak but the rest of the MO GOP bench is even weaker than he is.

Uh...Graves, Kinder, Wagner...

Peter Kinder is of the David Dreier/Mark Foley Republicans, if you catch my drift. He's not what I'd call a strong candidate.

Well, fair enough. I don't claim to know a damn thing about MO, anyway.

P.S.: A quick Wiki check has revealed that Kinder is running for Governor instead, anyway, so scratch him in any circumstance.

[politicalchick20]

Should we shift this seat from Tossup to Likely Democratic, or Likely Democratic to Democratic Favored? Steelman is a weak candidate who couldn't even win her party's nomination for Governor in 2008, Ed Martin is a crazy teabagger, and I've never even heard of Ann Wagner. Graves could give McCaskill a run, but as someone said on here, elections are historically close in Missouri, but I think Claire will have the edge now with Jim Talent out of the way.

Ann Wagner is the former chair of the Missouri Republican Party (1999-2005), and former ambassador of Luxembourg (2005-2009). She just ran (unsuccessfully) for RNC chair, where in the debate she infamously misheard the question "What is your favorite book?" as "What is your favorite bar?" (Her answer: "Probably my kitchen table.")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tEDZjVrM7A