By Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kwmu/local-kwmu-933013.mp3

Blunt's acceptance speech

Springfield, Mo. – Republicans in Missouri easily held on to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Kit Bond.

With all precincts now reporting, Roy Blunt defeated Democrat Robin Carnahan with approximately 54 to 41 percent of the vote. Blunt's son, Andy, introduced the Senator-elect to an enthusiastic audience, which spent the evening cheering on Republican victories in other parts of the country while waiting for Missouri's results to come in.

After taking the stage at the University Plaza Convention Center, Blunt told the crowd that he'll work to create a business-friendly environment.

"We've got to get focused on the things that matter," Blunt said. "Government jobs don't pay the bill, government jobs are the bill...you need some of them, but if they get out of proportion to the rest of the economy, the rest of the economy doesn't grow."

Blunt's win was part of a nationwide GOP surge that saw Republicans regain control of the U.S. House and fall just short of retaking the U.S. Senate. Ann Wagner is Blunt's campaign manager.

"I think we ran on issues and ideas," Wagner said. "I think a choice between the two candidates was very, very clear, and I really feel like he went out in a retail way and reached out to each and every Missourian that he could possibly get in touch with out there."

Blunt won every rural Missouri county, along with the suburban counties of St. Charles, Franklin, Jefferson, Clay, Platte, and eastern Jackson County. Carnahan won in St. Louis City and County, and in Kansas City.

Blunt is scheduled to return to Washington this week, where he'll serve out the remainder of his term in the U.S. House while preparing to move over to the Senate.

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