BREAKING NEWS

A tipster reports the Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder made a surprise announcement at the Republican Lincoln Days event tonight. Apparently in the interest of party unity, he will not be seeking the nomination for governor.

UPDATED: Here’s Kinder’s statement:

“I have taken on a cause as Lt. Governor to fight for the values I believe in - the values my mom taught me to believe in - faith, family, personal responsibility, service and keeping commitments to those who have sacrificed for this great nation. 

“Missourians can be proud of what we have accomplished together in the Lt. Governor’s office for the men and women in uniform who have given so much to this great country and who need an advocate who will fight for them, for the seniors who have worked and saved to build up this nation and who deserve our respect and a higher quality of life and for our workers and employers who deserve a state government that understands how to help Missourians create jobs and grow the economy.

“Working together we have delivered positive change that Missourians deserve and I want to continue keeping the change working for our state. It will take a combined effort of every Republican, ever Democrat, every leader and every Missourian to create jobs, advocate for our veterans, fight illegal immigration and deliver world class schools for our students and I want to continue being an advocate for change on these important issues.

“Since I was elected Lt. Governor in 2004 many Missourians have told me personally they would support me if I ever decided to run for governor. I never expected to make that decision this year.”Since Gov. Blunt’s announcement I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received from many Missourians who want to join my campaign for governor. After a great deal of thought and prayer over the last several weeks I have decided I will not run for governor this year, and will ask Missourians for their vote for Lt. Governor so we can continue our accomplishments for our veterans, seniors, workers and our shared Missouri values.

“This is a campaign I believe I would have won, but I also believe in my heart that this is the right decision. I hope it will help our Party unite so together we can tell Missourians a remarkable story of how together we turned our state around by turning a $1.1 billion deficit into three straight surpluses without raising taxes, ended the cuts to education while increasing funding for classrooms, transformed Missouri’s health care system and helped bring nearly 90,000 new jobs to our state by supporting job-creating initiatives and investing in tourism as we did by bringing the Tour of Missouri to our state.

“I am enormously grateful and appreciative of everyone who supported me for governor. I know I can count on their support for my re-election. We must unite and let Missourians know how much is at stake in this election. We cannot afford to return to the failed policies of the past. We must elect a governor who will keep the change working for Missouri and that makes every dollar count.”   

UPDATE 2: Here’s the video of Kinder’s announcement: