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Koster formally announces he's running for re-election in 2012

This article firs appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Sept. 23, 2011 - As expected, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced that he's running for re-election. Koster, a Democrat since 2007, declared his intentions at a gathering Thursday night in Kansas City. So far, Koster has no declared opponent in either major party.

The only surprise was the timing. Koster, who was first elected in 2008, said that the event was held at the home of Jackson County Democratic Party chairman Steve Bough. Koster apparently is forgoing the fast-fading traditional practice of holding a round of announcements around the state.

In this morning's announcement, Koster said, "For nearly three years, I've had the privilege of serving the people of Missouri. I have tried to stand up for the values we share: an absolute commitment to law enforcement, to protecting consumers, and conserving Missouri's environment. It's been a job I am proud of and one I look forward to continuing."

"Our office has consistently produced results. We are currently prosecuting more than 50 homicides across our state with a team of Missouri's most experienced prosecuting attorneys," Koster said.

"We have recovered more than $100 million stolen from Missouri's Medicaid system. When the news cameras packed up and left Joplin, we remained hard at work ... protecting against scam artists of every stripe," he continued. "We fought the federal government on the breach of the Birds Point Levee in southeast Missouri, and we faced down the auto warrantee industry when they ripped off consumers in a series of unprecedented insurance scandals. From white-collar crime to animal cruelty to domestic violence, we have raised the bar for what the law can do to protect our citizens."

Others in attendance at his kickoff, said Koster, included: "state Democratic Party chairman Susan Montee; Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders; Sheriff Mike Sharp; state Sen. Jolie Justus; state Rep. Jason Kander, Kansas City Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Circo; Kansas City councilmembers and the Jackson County Democratic Committee.

Jo Mannies is a freelance journalist and former political reporter at St. Louis Public Radio.