#mo-2

[akambrose]

Why is shopping for Spencer so hard??

Ugh seriously. His clothes are more expensive than mine. And every time I like a pair of shoes for him they're either the wrong size or high heeled.

his pants are $15-$35. Just

Just

Bby why do you do this to me.

[capitolcalling-blog]

Cunningham won't run for Congress

State Sen. Jane Cunningham will not run for the U.S. Congress.

With U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Wildwood, vacating his seat in Congress to run for the U.S. Senate, Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, had expressed interest in running for the U.S. 2nd District House seat.

But she told a St. Louis radio station on Wednesday morning that she would instead run for re-election for her western St. Louis County state Senate seat.

“This has been a long evaluation, a though evaluation for me, because I can really see myself in both places,” Cunningham said on the Jamie Allman Show on 97.1 FM. “I never go for title. I want to go for purpose where I can make an impact. And what I have chosen after my evaluation is today to announce my intention and commitment to run for a second term in the Missouri Senate.”

The two announced Republican candidates in the 2nd District race released statements this morning praise Cunningham’s decision to run for re-election.

Ed Martin, a St. Louis City attorney who ran for Congress in 2010 against U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, said in a statement that Cunningham is “a true conservative leader who has walked the walk not just talked the talk.”

“Let me be clear: Jane Cunningham would be a strong member of Congress because she has stayed true to her principles and not simply said whatever she needed to be in office like many candidates today,” Martin said. “I fully expect her to be in public service for many years as a state senator, as governor, or any other office she seeks."

Ann Wagner, a former chairwoman for the Missouri Republican Party who lives in Ballwin, released a statement calling Cunningham “a great friend and an effective, conservative voice for St. Louis County in the Missouri State Senate.”

“We both live in the 2nd Congressional District, are both conservative women, and both care deeply about our neighbors and the direction of our country, and I will be working hard to ensure Jane Cunningham returns to the State Senate," Wagner said in a statement.

[capitolcalling-blog]

Beacon: Cunningham will "definitely" run in MO-2

Jo Mannies of the St. Louis Beacon is reporting that Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, will "definitely" run for Congress.

The first-term state senator had expressed interest in running for the seat earlier this year. But in an interview, Cunningham said she will make it official if U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Town and Country, runs for Congress:

"I'm in,'' said Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, on Tuesday, referring to the increasingly crowded field for the 2nd Congressional District.

So far, St. Louis lawyer Ed Martin has switched his candidacy from the U.S. Senate to the 2nd District, and former Ambassador Ann Wagner has announced an exploratory committee.

But Cunningham -- who has made no secret of her own interest  for weeks -- emphasized she won't formally announce until the district's incumbent congressman -- fellow Republican Todd Akin of Town and Country -- officially declares he's running in 2012  for the U.S. Senate.

"I'm very sensitive to being honorable to him,'' Cunningham said. "It's totally up to him."

If Cunningham runs, it will mean that her Senate seat will be vacant next year. That will likely prompt a flood of Republican candidates to run in that race.

Read the rest here.

[capitolcalling-blog]

I caught up with newly-minted congressional candidate Ed Martin today at McArthur's Bakery in south St. Louis County.

I asked Martin about the prospect of a GOP primary, the fact that he doesn't reside in the 2nd Congressional District and whether the dynamics of the race change compared to 2010 since the district is more Republican.

Read more about Martin's switch in the St. Louis Beacon.

[capitolcalling-blog]

Ed Martin is switching elections.

The Republican attorney is out of the U.S. Senate race and instead will run in the reconfigured 2nd Congressional District seat. The seat's current inhabitant - U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Town and Country - is expected to run for the U.S. Senate against U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.

In addition to making a Web video, Martin changed his Web site to "Ed Martin for Congress." The site features the sub-headline "Ed Martin v. Russ Carnahan, round 2," an allusion to the fact that the Democratic congressman may run what is now Akin's district. Carnahan defeated Martin last year by a relatively small margin.

“Elected officials like Russ Carnahan have been focused on growing their power and enriching themselves instead of remembering our families and safeguarding the American dream," Martin said in a statement. "I am running for Congress because I know we can do better.  I want to fight for the American dream and for our future.”

Former Republican Party Chairwoman Ann Wagner is also exploring entering the race, as is Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield.

I asked Martin a couple of months ago about the effect of Akin entering the U.S. Senate race. This was his response:

Does that mean Martin would fear an Akin bid for U.S. Senate?

"If Todd Akin gets in, I think it makes it a really competitive race," Martin said. "I don't fear anybody. If you get up worrying about the other guy in the morning, you wouldn't get up and do this. Because Claire McCaskill is well-funded, bright, experienced and knows how to fight a really hard-fought -- some would call it mean -- campaign."

"This is not something you take lightly," Martin added.