Missouri state Auditor Tom Schweich has told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he will not run for Senate, following an effort by some Republicans to draft him in the race against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.
In early March, a group of prominent Republicans in the state, including former Sen. John Danforth, published an open letter calling upon Schweich to run and “fill the void” in the debate.
There is in fact already a crowded primary of Republicans hoping to face McCaskill: Congressman Todd Akin, former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, and businessman John Brunner. Thus, the letter would seem to demonstrate a lack of confidence from at least some GOP quarters.
McCaskill is one of the more vulnerable Democratic senators, having been narrowly elected in the 2006 Democratic wave, and representing a state that has been trending further to the Republicans.
