Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder is looking for a promotion. After his fellow Republican, Governor Matt Blunt, shocked the world (well, at least Missouri) by announcing he is not seeking re-election. Kinder said “me too” and dropped his plans for re-election to pursue the state’s top job. Today he launched this video on YouTube.

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman has also thrown her hat into the ring since Blunt’s announcement. Other Republicans still considering running include Congressman Kenny Hulshof of Columbia, Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau (she will announce today whether or not she’ll run), U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton, and Missouri Senate Majority Leader Charlie Shields.

On the Democratic side, Attorney General Jay Nixon still stands alone… for the moment. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, daughter of the late Governor Mel Carnahan, is still considering entering the race, which would give Democrats who were not all that excited about Nixon a viable alternative.

UPDATE: Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson is out.

Teamster President James P. Hoffa will be in town tomorrow to announce the union’s support of Attorney General Jay Nixon in his gubernatorial bid.

Hoffa will make the official announcement tomorrow at 1:00 PM at the Teamster office in Maryland Heights.

A report by the The Kansas City Star uncovered that aides to Governor Matt Blunt urged the Missouri Highway Patrol to publicly criticize Attorney General Jay Nixon, a potential Democratic challenger in the 2008 election.

In e-mails obtained by the Star, sent from Blunt’s office to the Highway Patrol, reveal that the Governor’s office was instrumental in putting together a June 7 Highway Patrol statement that critized Nixon over how he handled the 2005 Taum Sauk reservoir collapse.

“The e-mails show the governor used the Highway Patrol not as a law enforcement agency but as a political arm of his administration,” said Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for the Missouri Democratic Party.

Blunt’s office says they were not trying to use the Highway Patrol for political gain. Instead, they say they were helping members of the department voice their frustrations with the Attorney General for not filing criminal charges in the Taum Sauk case.

But as The Star points out, the Governor’s staff did not send any e-mails urging the Highway Patrol to attack Nixon until after two Patrol spokesmen agreed with Nixon’s statement.

The Republican Party was already critical of Nixon’s involvement in the case, citing a campaign donation by Ameren as reason for bias. Nixon has since returned the contribution.

The Attorney General’s office is now pursuing a civil case against Ameren. The Environmental Protection Agency is also looking into the case.

It is a favorite political pastime to watch the financial accomplishments of those thoroughbreds of political fundraising; the Blunts, Slays and McMillans of the political world. But with the end of contribution limits, what was once a horse race is now more like NASCAR.

This post will be updated throughout the day with updated numbers. Stay tuned.

The Race for Governor

We’re still waiting for Governor Matt Blunt’s and Jay Nixon’s July reports to post. But on his April campaign finance report, Blunt proved this was indeed a whole new world by raising $2.9 million with the help of numerous $25,000, $50,000 (one from a happy “homemaker” in Monett), and $100,000 donors.

The 5th Senate

The rumor was true, by raising an eye-popping $111,011.54 last quarter, State Rep. Rodney Hubbard* removed any doubt that he is the frontrunner in the race to succeed State Sen. Maida Coleman.

According to his report, Hubbard transferred $11,886.54 from his state rep. committee and got large donations from Rex Sinquefield ($30,000) and License Collector Mike McMillan ($10,000). Much of the rest of Hubbard’s money came from dozens of $25 and $50 contributions from local supporters.

As we reported last week, State Rep. Tom Villa, who is also running, raised just $500. State Rep. Robin Wright Jones‘, another possible candidate, report has not been posted yet.

*Hubbard is a client of A D French & Associates

UPDATE: Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder raised $347,015 last quarter, bringing his total cash on hand (after spending $36,000) to just over $400,000. Notable names on his report: Kwame Building Group ($2,000), Paul McKee and his McEagle Properties ($5,000 plus a $1,856.58 in-kind donation), and Steve Stogel ($2,000).

More later…

Gearing up for his re-election campaign, Governor Matt Blunt unveiled his new campaign website today. The site, www.mattblunt.com, has been completely redesigned and sports new campaign colors.

The Governor will be in town today to sign the controversial Mo HealthNet bill into law. Check back later for video. (Sorry, no video.)

Two well-known St. Louis Catholics are asking Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor Jay Nixon to support Governor Matt Blunt’s selection to the State Board of Education.

PubDef.net has obtained a copy of a letter dated this week sent to Nixon from Rev. Sal E. Polizzi of St. Roch Catholic Church and Rev. Vincent Bommarito of St. Ambrose Catholic Church. In it, the two ask Nixon to support the appointment of conservative Democrat Derio Gambaro to the Board of Education.

“As the leading Democrat in our state and the only announced Democratic candidate for governor of our state we are writing to ask you to contact Senator [Jeff] Smith and ask him to support Derio,” they wrote.

“As you well know, the Italian neighborhood (The Hill) is still a very democratic area and the residents would appreciate Senator Smith’s support for Derio’s appointment.”

Gambaro was one of Smith’s opponents in a crowded primary contest last year to replace the term-limited State Sen. Pat Dougherty. Smith has voiced some concerns about Gambaro’s appointment.

Click here to download the letter
Click here to read Jeff Smith’s statement on Gambaro
Click here to watch video of Blunt’s announcement

Press Release from Gov. Matt Blunt’s office…

Comparing the actions of Attorney General Jay Nixon to a traffic cop that coerces money from a speeding motorist, Gov. Matt Blunt’s Chief of Staff Ed Martin today said he will testify Wednesday before the Public Service Commission (PSC) despite objections from Nixon. Martin plans to reveal information he received in private about the nearly $20,000 Nixon’s office sought and received from Ameren after Nixon became the criminal investigator in the Ameren Taum Sauk disaster case.

“Anybody knows that law enforcement cannot take money or gifts from suspects or investigative targets,” Martin wrote in a letter to Nixon. “Everyone knows it is wrong for a police officer or deputy to take money at a traffic stop. Everyone knows a prosecutor must not seek money or gifts from a target or defendant.”

Ameren is currently seeking a rate increase for their customers in hearings before the Public Service Commission. Last year, at the request of the Attorney General’s political office, Ameren funneled nearly $20,000 in campaign cash to Nixon through four Democrat Committees after he became the criminal prosecutor in the Taum Sauk disaster case. For more than a year, Nixon denied his involvement in the request for Ameren funds, but this month Ameren revealed that it was Nixon’s office that requested the money even though Nixon was conducting a criminal investigation into the utility company.

Last week, Office of Administration Chief Counsel Rich AuBuchon asked the Attorney General’s Office to take all necessary actions to recognize Martin as a witness to provide testimony to the PSC. When the Attorney General’s office failed to comply with the request, the Administration worked directly with the PSC to allow Martin’s testimony.

Martin said his testimony will show how Nixon’s actions are hurting Ameren ratepayers.

“The Taum Sauk settlement and rebuild are worth hundreds of millions of dollars,” Martin wrote in a letter to Nixon. “The Ameren rate case could cost hundreds of millions more. Put simply, once you asked for and received Ameren’s money, you lost the ability to be trusted as Ameren’s legal adversary. An officer of the law who takes money at a traffic stop will lose the public’s good opinion. It only makes the matter worse if the officer refuses to account for himself. Therefore, I respectfully request that you recuse yourself from any and all dealings with Ameren. This includes the Taum Sauk case and the Ameren rate case.”

Click here to download Martin’s letter.