This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Dec. 1, 2011 - U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, has yet to decide which district he will seek to represent in 2012 -- but his big holiday fundraising event will be Dec. 11 at the Scape American Bistro -- in the 1st District, now held by fellow St. Louis Democrat William Lacy Clay.
Carnahan is hoping that a pending lawsuit might resurrect his 3rd District. A hearing on that suit is set in Cole County for later this month.
Carnahan's 3rd District was dismantled by the Missouri General Assembly earlier this year, when it redrew boundary lines to reflect census changes and the state's loss of one of its current nine congressional seats. The suit challenges the new map.
Carnahan's residence was tossed into the 1st, but Clay allies are hoping that Carnahan runs in the new 2nd District, which takes in some of his current district turf. Carnahan supporters say the new 2nd District remains too Republican for him to have much of a chance.
Carnahan has held congressional and campaign events this year in the 1st, 2nd and his current 3rd. He has yet to announce a decision, other than to emphasize repeatedly that he will run for Congress in 2012.
Carnahan's fundraising event feature ticket prices of $500, $1,000 and $2,500.