MO-Sen: Kit Bond Not Running for Re-Election

[democrattotheend]

Source: First Read

Just announced: NBC News has confirmed that Missouri Sen. Kit Bond is quitting when his current term ends.

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/08/1736983.aspx

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I guess this is good news...perhaps it will make the seat easier to pick up. Missouri Dems, what do you think? Are there any promising Democrats who could win the seat?

[saltpoint]

1. Thank Jesus for this. Or thank anybody you want. I'm just glad

to see this guy finally get out of the picture.

[Strelnikov_]

4. He definitely earned his Keith Richards trophy

for career longevity as a substance abuser.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. That's good news.

Congratulations, MO!:toast:

[Roland99]

3. I move he step down now.

[Pirate Smile]

5. Yeah - he is up in 2010. Who's on the Dem bench in the Show Me State?

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. A Carnahan perhaps?

I'd like to see Congressman Cleaver run for Bond's seat.

[wizstars]

10. I'd love to get Robin C. in there...

Cleaver would be good if Robin doesn't run

[liberal N proud]

12. Cleaver would be good

[TheDebbieDee]

22. Cleaver would be great!

[stlsaxman]

23. How about Jeff Smith??? We already got a Carnahan and he's useless.

http://www.mrsmithmovie.com/

We need a real progressive in there.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. That is the best movie!

[stlsaxman]

27. He's a real good guy to boot.

[ccjlld]

6. It will be great to see him gone!

I've been so sick of this guy for years!

What about one of the Carnahans? Robin or Russ?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Source: Senator Kit Bond is OUT; won't seek re-election in 2010

Source: KC Star

In a bombshell of a development, Missouri Sen. Kit Bond is expected to announce today that he won't seek re-election in 2010.

The four-term senator is to address the General AssembKit Bondly this morning during the 10 a.m. hour and announce his retirement. A copy of the speech given to The Politico, contained this quote:

"As a sixth-generation Missourian, I have always loved our state. Through 40 years in public life I have met many wonderful people. The people I have met along the way are the reason I ran for public office and the reason I am still here.

"I thank the voters of Missouri who elected me to represent them. There is no greater honor. I am truly blessed to have been entrusted by them with the responsibility of public office.”

more . . .

Read more: http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/16399

[11 Bravo]

8. AMF!

[donco]

11. It wouldn’t surprise me to see

Jay Nixon (our new Dem Gov) takes a look at the job, or even St.Louis Mayer Slay. That’s my speculation on the east side, now how about the westside, KC?:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. So do you think Nixon would serve only 2 years and then run for Senate?

[donco]

14. Yes I do,

he made a run for the Senate twice before, once against Danforth,(where he got a drubbing) and then in 98 when he ran against Bond. Not saying anything against him but in my opinion he would rather be a Senator.

[DainBramaged]

15. Bond will not seek another term

Source: Politico

Sen. Kit Bond, the senior Republican from Missouri who sits on powerful Senate committees, announced Thursday that he will not run for reelection in 2010, giving Democrats a shot to pick up a seat in a state that has emerged as a major battleground.

The announcement is a blow to Senate Republicans who may now have at least four of their incumbents seeking retirement at the end of the session, a sign that 2010 could be another tough cycle for the weakened GOP minority.

In addition to Bond, Sens. Mel Martinez of Florida and Sam Brownback of Kansas are retiring, and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas may run for governor of her home state, creating another opening.

In a speech before Missouri’s General Assembly, Bond announced Thursday that after 40 years of public service in the state, he would retire at the end of the 111th Congress.

“As a sixth-generation Missourian, I have always loved our state. Through 40 years in public life I have met many wonderful people. The people I have met along the way are the reason I ran for public office and the reason I am still here,” said Bond, 69, according to his prepared remarks. “I thank the voters of Missouri who elected me to represent them. There is no greater honor. I am truly blessed to have been entrusted by them with the responsibility of public office.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17213.html

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Another one bites the dust. Gone and soon to be forgotten. 2010 is looking even better for us, we cold have a 65 seat majority by then.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. Missouri is a red state which has been trending blue recently

[jackpan1260]

18. I think it is one of the few states that is trending red

at least at the presidential level.

Kerry lost MO by 7%, despite Bush winning by 3% nationally. That put it at +4 R in 04.
Obama basically tied MO in 08 despite winning 7% nationally. That puts it at + 7 R in 08.

McCaskill's win in 06 was pretty narrow too.
I agree that this seat is a great pick up possibility though.

[Zynx]

19. I think Missouri is actually stable politically.

I don't see a lot of movement one way or the other. In a statistical model it shows up as trending Republican, but I think that's just because it has a stickier electorate than, say, Colorado.

[Terran]

21. It's a very likely pick-up for Robin Carnahan

And Claire won by nearly 50,000 votes, or 2.5%--in Missouri that's a pretty good margin, actually, it's always close here.

See my post below...Robin Carnahan is a shoe-in because of her family. Her father was highly respected on both sides and she has benefited greatly from her name. And she's done an excellent job as SOS. I don't believe Jay Nixon will abandon the governorship after only two years to compete for this seat. The timing just isn't right for him, but it's perfect for Robin.

[No Elephants]

24. Yes, but Nader and the Green Party took a respectable number of votes from Obama. Barr and others

took them from McCain, too, but it was just about a dead heat. For Missouri in recent history, that IS trending blue.

[bdamomma]

17. not to be missed.

[Terran]

20. There is a 99.9% chance that Robin Carnahan will run and win.

Here's why:

1) She's in her second term as SOS, but Jay Nixon, a Democrat, is just beginning his first term as Governor. I doubt she wants to wait for Jay to finish two terms as Governor before she runs for it, nor do I think she wants to oppose Claire McCaskill for re-election 2012. The Democratic Party, both state and national, would be crazy to not have her be the candidate in 2010.

2) She's an heir to a political family that is greatly admired by both Dems and Republicans in Missouri; she was re-elected SOS by a big margin and the Repubs didn't even mount a serious candidate to oppose her.

3) Both her parents were Senators for Missouri. She is as big a shoe-in to replace Kit Bond as any individual in this state could possibly be.

[goforit]

25. She'll be running against Talent or Blunt the most corrupt asses around.

I am convinced, as a Tin Foil Hatter that I've been, that Rove may help
run these thug's campaigns in 2010.
He ran Ashcroft's hopeless campaign against Mel Carnahan in 2000. Ashcroft lost to Mels death, yet was appointed by Bush as his Attorney General Pawn
Mel Carnahan mysteriously died in a plane crash flown by his son in a bad rain storm.
But, somehow I believe in my heart, Rove had his hands on this crash as well as Welstone's and alot
of other people connected to Bush/Cheney that had knowlege and information on the multitude of crimes
they had committed.
I would pray to God that Robin too doesn't become a victim to Rove. She is an honest and sincere person and will need
a huge and efficient security team 24/7, much less need a staff that is sharp as a tac.

[Terran]

28. Blunt (the elder) is definitely running.

Whether Talent will try to go against him is up for debate (I don't think he will). In a fair fight, I think Robin will still kick Roy Blunt's ass. The Blunt name is not exactly popular these days in Missouri, and neither are Repubs in general. But who knows what will happen in two years.

I don't personally believe that Rove had a hand in murdering Wellstone or Carnahan (I remember Mel's death quite well, and he was flying in some very bad weather), but I guess stranger things have happened.