Sarah Steelman

Missouri has an odd habit of chewing up and spitting out gubernatorial candidates who then go on to become U.S. Senators. This pattern has repeated itself with Jim Talent (lost GOV in '00, won SEN in '02) and Claire McCaskill (lost GOV in '04, won SEN in '06). We could see a repeat of this pattern with State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, who lost the Gubernatorial primary to Kenny Hulshof in '08, and could well run for Senate in '10. 

Folks around here were pretty supportive of Steelman in the primary last year, and for reasons that will sound familiar: she took on the good ol' boy network in the state with a promise to zero out pork. Not one member of Missouri's Republican Congressional delegation supported Steelman in the primary, yet she came within 4 points of beating the heavily favored Hulshof. 

It was probably for the best. The toxic political environment, particularly with outgoing Gov. Blunt's low approval ratings, probably rendered any Republican nominee DOA. However, the 2010 Senate picture is looking bright with several top recruits in marquee races and Missouri is a state McCain won. 

To face likely Democratic nominee Robin Carnahan in the fall, Steelman will need to overcome a familiar face: Roy Blunt, House Republican whip from 2003 to 2007 and Matt Blunt's father. Blunt announced his campaign this week and Steelman didn't waste a minute reminding people of her interest in the seat. 

Buckle your seatbelts for what's likely to be one of the blockbuster races of the '10 cycle, not just in the general, but in the primary as well. 

Missouri's gubernatorial primary is August 5th, and it's pretty clear who the guys in the white hats are. Or in this case, gal. Meet Sarah Steelman, a Republican in the Jindal/Palin mode for Governor of Missouri: 

So bitter are House Minority Whip Roy Blunt and Sen. Kit Bond at Ms. Steelman's attack on their cherished spending beliefs that last month they rallied the entire Missouri congressional delegation to put out a public statement openly criticizing her campaign against six-term U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof. Joining them in their support of Mr. Hulshof has been the vast majority of the state Republican machine. Ms. Steelman is clearly doing something right.

Her sin is in fact to belong to that new mold of Republican - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint - who know it's no longer enough to simply hawk lower taxes. In 10 years as a state legislator and treasurer, her target has been the slothful political favor factory that's led Republicans away from small-government principles and outraged conservative voters.

And, oh, the howls of misery. Ms. Steelman's Republican colleagues were livid with her attempt to strip them of comfy pensions, annoyed with her "sunshine law" requiring them to be more open in their dealings, furious at her attacks on their ethanol boondoggles, appalled that she criticized GOP state Speaker Rod Jetton for moonlighting as a paid political consultant. The final straw was her temerity to make her primary race about her opponent's Washington earmarking record.

Steelman's website is here, and you can contribute here. This is a race we'll be watching closely here over the next few weeks.