MO-SEN

Tea Party Protest v. Roy Blunt Turns Out To Be A Dud (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | August 2, 2010, 11:09AM

A St. Louis Tea Party protest against Roy Blunt.

Tea party groups in Missouri, irate over Rep. Michele Bachmann's endorsement of Rep. Roy Blunt before tomorrow's Republican Senate primary, were planning a "major protest' against Blunt's campaign events over the weekend. Democrats and Blunt's main Republican primary opponent, Chuck Purgason, pushed for the protest as evidence Blunt was headed for trouble this fall in a general election matchup against Robin Carnahan (D).

But it didn't quite turn out that way.

Read more »

MO-SEN

Missouri Tea Partiers Rip Michele Bachmann For Backing Roy Blunt

Christina Bellantoni | July 28, 2010, 2:52PM

Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO)

Tea party groups in Missouri are furious that national tea party icon, Rep. Michele Bachmann, endorsed the strong frontrunner for the Senate nomination Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO). Bachmann will join Blunt for a fundraiser and to make campaign calls in his St. Louis headquarters Saturday.

Given that Bachmann has emerged as a tea party hero and formed the brand-new Tea Party Caucus in Congress, the groups said "we were shocked" that she is backing Blunt since he voted for the TARP bailout funds and "Cash for Clunkers."

Read more »

MO-SEN

Joe The Plumber Backs Roy Blunt Rival In Missouri's GOP Primary (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | July 27, 2010, 1:49PM

Joe the Plumber and US Senate candidate Chuck Purgason (R-MO)

Democrats are treating Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) like the certain Senate nominee this fall, but Blunt's rival in next week's Republican primary is getting an insurgent boost from Sam "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher.

Wurzelbacher endorsed state lawmaker Chuck Purgason for the Aug. 3 Republican primary in Missouri, saying in a new television ad (which he paid for) that voters "do have a choice" in the race. He noted his emergence on the national stage and said he's made it his goal to "stop politicians like Obama." Wurzelbacher calls Blunt a "Washington insider," and Purgason a "man with character."

Read more »

MO-SEN

Poll: Blunt Leads Missouri Senate Race, With Obama And Health Care Bill Unpopular

Eric Kleefeld | March 30, 2010, 11:04AM

Missouri Sec. of State Robin Carnahan (D) and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)

The new survey of Missouri by Public Policy Polling (D) finds Republican Rep. Roy Blunt narrowly ahead in the race for the open Senate seat of retiring GOP Sen. Kit Bond. More importantly, however, other numbers show that the Democrats could have a very tough time ahead in this perennial swing state.

The numbers, among registered voters: Blunt 45%, Dem Secretary of State Robin Carnahan 41%, with a ±4.4% margin of error. Carnahan edges the other Republican candidate, state Sen. Chuck Purgason, by 42%-38%. The TPM Poll Average gives Blunt a lead of 47.0%-40.7% over Carnahan.

Below the surface, President Obama's approval rating is only 43%, with 52% disapproval. In addition, voters said by a 51%-42% margin that Republicans should work to repeal the health care bill. And voters oppose the health care bill by 54%-37%.

Read more »

MO-SEN

Poll: Statistical Tie In Missouri Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | November 18, 2009, 10:54AM

Missouri Sec. of State Robin Carnahan (D) and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)

The new survey of Missouri by Public Policy Polling (D) shows a dead heat in the race for this state's open Republican-held Senate seat.

The numbers: Democratic Secretary of State Robin Carnahan 43%, Republican Rep. Roy Blunt 42%, with a ±3.6% margin of error. The last time PPP tested this race in January, Carnahan had an edge of 45%-44%. Carnahan also leads Blunt's primary challenger, state Sen. Chuck Purgason, Carnahan has a 42%-35% lead. Blunt leads Purgason in the GOP primary by 53%-16%.

The pollster's analysis finds that Carnahan's personal ratings are much better than Blunt's. Her favorable rating is at 40%, to a 36% unfavorable, compared to Blunt's upside-down rating of 30%-38%. Nevertheless, this is a close race. One possible factor: President Obama's approval rating in the state is low, at 43%-52%.

"If Robin Carnahan had faced off against Roy Blunt in any election year between 1996 and 2008 she would likely have won given her superior popularity," said PPP president Dean Debnam, in the polling memo. "But 2010 has the potential to be an extremely good year for Republicans, and that's made this race highly competitive."