Congressman Roy Blunt's office was unexpectedly graceful last friday concerning a potential primary against Sarah Steelamn. A representative from Blunt's office said, "We have a great relationship with Sarah Steelman."
Before Senator Kit Bond stepped down from a re-election bid the dialogue between camp Steelman and Kit Bond was anything but rosy. In fact, a St. Louis Dispatch report revealed a lawsuit by Steelman's husband David against Kit Bond's alleging corruption was inevitable.
I caught up in David Steelman at Lincoln Days in Kansas City where Steeman stated since the committee to re-elect Bond was dissolved there was no reason to pursue legal action.
A former member of Steelman's staff stated Sarah was committed to running a clean race calming fears of a knock-down drag out fight bruising an already wounded Republican party.
After a series of public appearances throughout the state Roy Blunt spoke to Republican party leadership at Missouri Lincoln Days where he responded to rhetoric pinning him as a Washington D.C. insider. Blunt said, "Yes, I have more experience than Carnahan in Washington, I also have more experience as a state auditor and as a university president...."
The focus on Carnahan bypassed a direct attack on Steelman who has advocated change in the Republican Party away from a culture she's characterized as an good-old-boy's network.
Missourinet Reporter Steve Walsh chatted it up with me in the backroom of the building. "Do you know how much it costs to run a Senatorial Campaign? In a normal political cycle, $30,000 a day.." (Food for thought)
Both Carnahan and Blunt have a political advantage, they can distribute press releases from official government streams which can greatly lower the cost of generating newspaper write-ups.
Before former Governor Matt Blunt dropped out of the Missouri Gubernatorial race, both Governor Jay Nixon and Matt Blunt were generating press releases over the state wires at an unprecedented rate. Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has heated up the fax machines dramatically over the past few weeks.
(We'll be running both offices releases unfiltered on Missouri Netizen)
The Republican Party is well aware of the tremendous challenge combating the fiscal policies of an extremely popular President. Blunt commented, "Obama played good cop, promising us if we'd vote yes on his spending plan, he'd work in our ideas, We weren't that dumb..."
Much of the stimulus package allocates funds over four years, heavier in 2011 AND 2012. Many Republican insiders believe the delay in allocating money provides an opportunity. They believe the economy won't recover in the next two years providing a window for a congressional conservative rally.
Whether Blunt or Steelman, the republican faithful hope the well of discourse doesn't become too poisoned for cohesion if a primary does ensue.
