This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 31, 2011 - Republican activist/lawyer Ed Martin made it official today that he's launching a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2012, on the heels of his narrow loss in last fall's 3rd District congressional contest against Democratic incumbent Russ Carnahan.
Martin is the second Republican to challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman announced her candidacy weeks ago.
Several other prominent Republicans also are looking at the Senate contest, in the wake of last week's announcement by former Sen. Jim Talent that he wasn't going to seek to get his old job back.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee swiftly slapped at Martin's new quest.
"Nothing says 'outsider' like a failed congressional candidate and chief of staff to a failed former governor-turned-lobbyist,'' the DSCC said in a statement this morning.
"As Republicans head towards a free-for-all primary, Claire McCaskill continues fighting for the hard-working people of Missouri, reining in federal spending, and bucking the special interests in order to get government working for the people again."
Martin's announcement indicates that he wasn't swayed by last week's private meeting with former state GOP chair Ann Wagner -- who also is considering a Senate bid. The other prominent names include U.S. Reps. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, and Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau.
Graves has been circulating results of his camp's recent poll that showed him competitive with McCaskill.
Martin has been active in conservative causes for years, and formerly served as chief of staff to then-Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican and son of new U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Martin told supporters in an e-mail this morning that his Senate campaign will focus on "the answer to this simple but important question: what should the size, scope, and cost of the federal government be?
"Obama and McCaskill have said BIGGER, STRONGER, MORE COSTLY," Martin wrote. "We need a Constitutional conservative in the Senate to answer this question differently."
Martin took a similar anti-government-spending approach in last year's congressional battle, which attracted national attention and money. Russ Carnahan narrowly won re-election in what turned out to be one of the region's few Democratic victories amid a GOP tidal wave.
Martin said in his announcement today, "I believe that our future is threatened by leaders in Washington, D.C., who choose to grow their own power and recklessly spend taxpayer money. Their continued refusal to be sober and responsible is hurting us all."
Steelman also is touting a similar cut-the-federal-spending theme, issuing a statement last week that declared, in part: "Our nation is facing its highest debt levels since World War II, our economy remains stagnant and stalled, and family incomes continue to fall... The big government policies of President Barack Obama and the Democrat-controlled Senate have killed jobs, pushed us to the fiscal brink, and wrecked our economy."
Update: As for Martin, Steelman issued a brief statement this afternoon saying, "I am running to fight for Missouri families who want less government and more freedom. I remain focused on running against Senators Claire McCaskill and Harry Reid's control of the U.S. Senate."
