In a crowded union hall Wednesday, Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa announced his group’s support of Attorney General Jay Nixon for governor.

Nixon accepted the endorsement and gave a speech outlining his plan to improve workers’ rights and his willingness to fight current governor, Matt Blunt, for control of the state.

“They’re going to spend $25 million saying bad things about me in the next 363 days,” said Nixon. “And I’m ready to rumble.”

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TOO MUCH FUN INDICTING - U.S. Attorney and former Speaker of the Missouri House Catherine Hanaway says she is not going to run for Attorney General, leaving the path to the Republican nomination clear for Kirkwood Senator Mike Gibbons, who’ll be making his official announcement Saturday Morning. On the Democratic side, the word is that the blue candidates (even the recently-turned-blue frontrunner Chris Koster) like their chances against Gibbons much better than Hanaway.

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS - Next week is going to be all about who’s got the duckets and from whom said duckets came. After raising $121,738 in the last three months, Lt. Gov candidate Sam Page now has a reported $350,000 in the bank. After raising just $1,675 this quarter, possible state senate candidate Tom Villa now has $27K on hand. As we reported earlier, Shamed Dogan raised over $12,000 this quarter.

CALLING ALL POETS - Matt Blunt is looking for a poet laureate for Missouri, and he wants your help. Citizens have until December 1st to nominate their fellow Missourians for the position. The laureate is responsible for promoting arts in Missouri through appearances at libraries and schools. Click here to submit your favorite local wordsmith.

Attorney General Jay Nixon gathered with a group of local Democratic elected officials today to call for the Republican-controlled state senate to act to regulate the state’s Pay Day Loan industry.

Joining Nixon were State Senators Rita Days (who Nixon praised for leading the charge against astronomical-interest lenders) and Jeff Smith, State Representatives Talibdin El-Amin, Robin Wright Jones, Jamilah Nasheed, and Juanita Head Walton, and Committeeman Joe Palm.

Attorney General Nixon…

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Senator Days…

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Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, the likely Democratic nominee for governor in 2008, today said that Governor Matt Blunt’s office appears to be breaking the law by destroying their email records.

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