Talent won't run for Senate

Posted to Politics Watch by Greg Young at 12:15 p.m., Feb. 11, 2009

Jim Talent, the former senator from Missouri, won't run again for U.S. Senate.

Talent was the junior senator from Missouri from 2002 to 2007, when he lost a close re-election bid against Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, 50 percent to 47 percent.

Talent was rumored to be in competition for the seat, but pulled out, citing a desire to avoid another contentious GOP primary like in 2008, which hurt the Republican's in the gubernatorial race:

I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration for the Senate in 2010, for several reasons. First, there are other qualified Republicans who are seriously investigating the race, and it is vital to prevent the kind of dissension that hurt my Party's ticket so greatly in 2008. In addition, I have family and public obligations which this unexpected race would disrupt. Chief among the latter is my work as Vice Chairman of the Commission on WMD Proliferation and Terrorism, which is working to prevent a nuclear or biological attack on the United States.

I am still very interested in serving the people of Missouri in elective office, but the considerations I have recited in this statement are more important than my personal goals.”

My political priority in 2010 will be electing a strong and qualified Republican to replace my friend Kit Bond in the United States Senate.”

Former Treasurer Sarah Steelman has already announced and Rep. Roy Blunt is expected to announce soon, so the GOP could still potentially face a difficult primary against likely Democratic candidate Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.