In the past two years alone, Blunt has touted work securing a $21 million grant for Springfield’s Grant Avenue Parkway and an $81 million grant to replace a crucial bridge connecting Columbia to Kansas City. 2 official, was also mentioned and appeared to throw his name in the mix Monday as well. "The only good news? Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri announced Monday that he'll retire at the end of his term in 2022, marking the latest high-profile Republican departure as … Eric Greitens for saying Trump played a role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and that the former president made a "personal mistake" by skipping Democratic President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Mike Kehoe, the state’s No. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) just announced that he will not be seeking a third term. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) "In almost 12,000 votes in the Congress, I’m sure I wasn’t right every time, but you really make that decision based on the information you have at the time. ", In his retirement announcement, Blunt said he always tried to do his best: “In almost 12,000 votes in the Congress, I’m sure I wasn’t right every time. Eric Greitens says he's 'evaluating' U.S. Senate run against Blunt. Another Republican Senator Announces Retirement Ahead of Midterm Elections. Sign in and be the first to comment 48m17s. “After 14 General Election victories — three […] After nearly five decades in public office, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt is hanging it up. Missouri's Senor Senator Roy Blunt became the fifth Republican U.S. Greitens, who said he’s “evaluating” a run on the radio last week, gave no further hints about a possible anti-establishment run Monday. He did not give a particular reason for his retirement, beyond his longevity. Many observers saw Blunt as a clear favorite for re-election, given the usual advantages of incumbency — money and seniority — and Blunt’s history of using his experience to get things done at a time when some colleagues are more interested in partisan messaging than anything else. "After 14 general election victories, three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections, I won't be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate next year," the senator said. Names circulating Monday included Greitens, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin. P: (816) 471-7141 Suite 1560. In a statement praising Blunt’s service to Missouri, he also said that he and the second lady would be spending some time “talking with family, friends and supporters about how I can best contribute to the future of our great state.". “After 14 general election victories — three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections — I won’t be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate next year," he said. “But it probably helps.". ... Sen. Roy Blunt Retiring from the Senate. But you really make that decision based on the information you have at the time. “But that still could have been a bruising primary,” Ponder said, “and I could see him wanting to avoid that.”, In Blunt’s absence, Ponder said, Republican voters are likely looking at a “free-for-all.”. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who turned 71 in January, announced his retirement via video Monday, citing his decades of public service as a factor in his decision. townhall. 11 hours ago. "It will be an ugly, fascistic, Big Lie-filled contest," Galen said. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri announced Monday that he will not seek reelection in 2022. Bannon: Roy Blunt Retiring Because He'd Lose in MAGA Primary. Attack ads could also bring up claims from lawmakers and then-Attorney General Hawley that Greitens oversaw the theft of donor data from his veterans charity and lied about it, which led to a computer tampering charge that was dismissed when Greitens agreed to resign. The veteran legislator's decision also scrambled expectations for 2022. More: At CPAC, Donald Trump targets the Republican Party of Liz Cheney and Mitch McConnell, More: Donald Trump expands his Republican enemies list to Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal op-eds. will not run for reelection in 2022, he announced Monday, becoming the latest in a growing number of GOP senators … Then-Missouri Gov. But Ponder said Blunt's decision to retire well ahead of the primary also gives Republicans who oppose Greitens plenty of time to build up their messages countering him. In a video announcement Monday, the Republican from Niangua said he will not seek a third term in the Senate seat in 2022. Republican strategist Liz Mair said there's a "trend" of mainstream conservative Republicans "walking away from an environment in which traditional conservatism has been little rewarded, but jumping on crazy trains has been. (KY3) - Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri will run for re-election in 2022 for the U.S. Senate, he said Monday. Ashcroft and Schmitt have crushed Democrats statewide in recent years and would likely be favored to do it again. Eric Greitens says he's 'evaluating' U.S. Senate run against Blunt, a $21 million grant for Springfield’s Grant Avenue Parkway, an $81 million grant to replace a crucial bridge connecting Columbia to Kansas City, saying Trump played a role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, made a "personal mistake" by skipping Democratic President Joe Biden’s inauguration, as he challenged the 2020 election in court, opposed Democrats’ decision to impeach him, said he’s “evaluating” a run on the radio last week, deemed the testimony itself credible more than once, led to a computer tampering charge that was dismissed when Greitens agreed to resign, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Eric Greitens (R) ... also retiring, voted to convict Trump in his impeachment trial. Politico reports: The race to replace Blunt gives Trumpworld yet another opportunity to mold the GOP in the former president’s image. Subscribe 420K Share. Become a supporter and enjoy ad-free content from TWL. ", The result, she said, could be a series of elections "that pit die-hard liberals against a nuttier, and often deeply un-conservative and ethically compromised, breed of Republican.". Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri announced he is retiring and will not run for reelection in 2022. Missouri’s Roy Blunt, who has served in Congress since 1997, even serving as Acting House Majority Leader, will leave a solid record of anti-LGBTQ and anti-women votes. In a statement Monday praising Blunt for his service, Jay Ashcroft also called it “imperative” that Republicans take back the Senate in 2022 — a task that will almost certainly require holding Blunt’s seat — and said he and his wife “will be praying and talking to friends and family about how I can best serve the state of Missouri.”. After nearly five decades in public office, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt is hanging it up. Roy Blunt is the 5th Republican Senator Who Will Not Seek Reelection. SECTIONS Skip to Content. More: Former Gov. Home/Politics/ GOP Sen. Roy Blunt is Retiring in 2022. (March 1), At CPAC, Donald Trump targets the Republican Party of Liz Cheney and Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump expands his Republican enemies list to Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal op-eds, targeted by Trump-backed primary opponents, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Blunt's announcement made him the fifth long-serving Republican senator to bow out of the 2022 race, as the party continues to hash out what it wants to do following former President Donald Trump’s loss last year. 4 ranking Republican in the Senate, and the fifth GOP senator to announce he will not run for re-election in 2022 as the party faces questions about its post-Trump future. Miles Coleman, associate editor of the newsletter. Indeed, Blunt was already taking barbs from former Gov. Embed Share. Roy Blunt speaks next to Mitch McConnell at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Roy Blunt’s Senate exit highlights big opportunity for GOP’s Trump wing in 2022. Quote. ", Trump names Republican impeachment supporters during CPAC speech, Former President Donald Trump called for GOP unity at a conservative convention in Orlando, Florida and then called out by name the 17 Republican House and Senate members who voted to impeach or convict him. Roy Blunt is the fifth veteran Republican senator to avoid a reelection race in 2022, joining Rob Portman, Pat Toomey, Richard Shelby and Richard Burr. “In every job Missourians have allowed me to have, I’ve tried to do my best," he said. Blunt was elected to the Senate in 2010 after serving in the House. Republicans faced an uphill battle before the retirements. ... Libertarian candidates, not retirees like Roy Blunt, pose a challenge to Republicans in 2022. Sabato's Cystal Ball, a newsletter produced by the University of Virginia Center for Politics, downgraded the Missouri Senate race from "safe Republican" to "likely Republican," still favoring the eventual GOP candidate. Even Missourians are likely to understand the insanity and elect a Democrat. — Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) March 8, 2021 Three other swing-state Republicans are retiring in 2022: Richard Burr of North Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania . Blunt barely won reelection in 2016, holding off Democrat Jason Kander with 49.2% of the vote to 46.4%. Missouri is a largely Republican state, but Democrats are often competitive. With Roy Blunt retiring, the count of fleeing Republican senators is now five. Democratic Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Could Win His Missouri Seat Senate Democrats Are Actively … Rob Portman of Ohio, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Richard Shelby of Alabama and Richard Burr of North Carolina. WASHINGTON – A fifth Republican senator decided to pass up a 2022 reelection bid, complicating GOP efforts to reclaim control of the U.S. Senate. Political observers and GOP insiders have long speculated about Ashcroft as a contender given the strong name recognition established by his father, John Ashcroft, a former governor and U.S. senator himself. Senator Roy Blunt becomes the fifth Republican to announce retirement. Name recognition in the state from his time as governor could help, too. ), widely seen as a member of the Republican establishment in Congress, will not run for re-election in 2022, he announced on Twitter Monday.. Why it matters: The 71-year-old senator is the No. 13 rumbles. GOP Sen. Roy Blunt is Retiring in 2022. Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri announced he is retiring and will not run for reelection in 2022. Senator Roy Blunt Announces He Will Not Run for Reelection. McCaskill On Roy Blunt Retiring: “I’ll Never Run Again” March 8, 2021 Democrats, Government. Roy Blunt of Missouri also voted to acquit Trump and he’s facing a steep challenge in 2022, having only prevailed in 2016 by 2.8 percent. Ponder said Blunt could have credibly countered that he supported Trump plenty as he challenged the 2020 election in court and opposed Democrats’ decision to impeach him. Got something he should know? ", A former Democratic senator from Missouri, Claire McCaskill, also said she would not seek Blunt's job. And many have felt that it’s easier to just resign than to run for reelection. Never. With Roy Blunt retiring, the count of fleeing Republican senators is now five. He immediately went on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s internet TV show to re-up his criticism of Blunt for being insufficiently pro-Trump, though. In the lead-up to the big announcement, he recounted his work to expand access to mental health services, strengthen national security and improve the country's infrastructure to make way for better jobs. But Dan Ponder, a political scientist at Drury University, said that may not have carried the same heft that it used to, especially among primary voters who respond favorably to more partisan messaging. They have more positions to defend, holding 20 of the 34 Senate seats up for election in 2022. Sen. Roy Blunt's retirement highlights the twin challenge facing Senate Republicans: finding good replacement candidates and avoiding a pathway for potential troublemakers to join their ranks. Austin Huguelet is the News-Leader's politics reporter. He’s also drawn attention for backing failed lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost, and for suing China for damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Greitens, for his part, remains less than three years removed from the allegations of sexual misconduct and ethical lapses that drove him from office. Rumble — Steve Bannon: Roy Blunt Retiring Because He'd Lose in MAGA Primary. "We'll see if Democrats can get a good recruit here," said J. Ponder, the Drury University political scientist, said that on one hand, Greitens can be seen as the front-runner given how well he was polling against a Missouri institution like Blunt. will not run for re-election in 2022, he announced on Twitter Monday.. Why it matters: The 71-year-old senator is the No. The party is waiting on decisions by other GOP senators, such as Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Chuck Grassley of Iowa. “It’s hard to say whether that alone would be enough,” one Democrat said of a hypothetical Greitens nomination. Not gonna happen. Whether that happens could go a long way toward determining whether Democrats will have any chance at winning the seat. He’s the latest of five senior Republicans to announce retirement. "Nope. A Missouri Scout/Remington Research poll of likely primary voters conducted Dec. 2-3 had Greitens trailing Blunt by just 13 percentage points, with 25 percent undecided. Tom Joyce. Being a Republican lawmaker in the age of Trump has been exhausting for many. The younger Ashcroft has already proven he can win statewide, too, having blown out opponents in 2016 and 2020. Kansas City, MO 64106. Material could include sworn testimony from a woman he had an extramarital affair with, alleging that Greitens took a photo of her while she was bound, blindfolded and unclothed and threatened her to remain silent about their encounter. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Criminal charges surrounding the incident were dropped, but GOP lawmakers working an impeachment investigation deemed the testimony itself credible more than once. “After 14 general election victories – three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives and four statewide elections – I won’t be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate next year," Blunt said. 1000 Walnut Street. Sen. Roy Blunt has announced he won’t run for reelection in 2022, opening the field for a competitive primary. Call him at 417-403-8096 or email him at ahuguelet@news-leader.com. They would probably have been targeted by Trump-backed primary opponents, had they run. Bannon helpfully played along, too, suggesting that Blunt decided to retire to avoid losing to someone more committed to “the America First movement.”. Roy Blunt, Eric Greitens and Jason Kander all could play a factor, says the St. Louis Business Journal. The U.S. Senate is split 50-50 between the Democratic and Republican caucuses. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Blunt did not give a reason for voluntarily leaving the Senate, though he said he's still looking forward to being there through next year, and that he plans to "finish strong.". Lt. Gov. "I will never run for office again," she tweeted. Reply. With Roy Blunt announcing his retirement today from the Senate in two years, the congressional reporter for Axios is suddenly writing about Republicans in the Senate who may be worried that Trumpian troublemakers could run and win the five Senate seats being vacated by establishment Republicans who are retiring in 2022. He's spent the last year casting himself as a victim of insider sabotage, a tactic that may be working. Why it matters: While the midterm elections are supposed to be a boon to the party out of power, the recent run of retirements — which may not be over — is upending that assumption for the GOP in … Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate, provides the tie-breaking vote that gives Democrats control. Sometimes its better keeping the devil you know. "Thanks for giving me the chance to work for you.”. Former Gov. Have a question? In declining to run in 2022, Blunt joins retiring Republican Sens. Photographer: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Bloomberg Missouri GOP Senator Roy Blunt said Monday he won’t seek a third term in the 2022 election, bringing to five the number of Republicans who aren’t seeking re-election next year as the party tries to regain control of the Senate. A top Senate Republican and member of the Republican leadership team has just announced he will not seek re-election next year. On Twitter, Kander said after Blunt's announcement that he would not for the Senate next year, but "I’ll campaign for the Dem nominee! Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo. Reed Galen, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee, said most of the GOP Senate candidates in Missouri "will be begging" for support from Trump and his backers, such as the state's other senator, Republican Josh Hawley. ... Im nervous about these old republicans retiring. Blunt and other retiring Republicans avoid a congressional election in which ex-President Donald Trump plans to play a major role, forcing GOP candidates to take a stand on his divisive presidency. Wagner, who represents the St. Louis suburbs in the U.S. House, was also considered a possible candidate in 2018 and is coming off an impressive showing defending a swing seat in the St. Louis suburbs. Democratic Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Could Win His Missouri Seat But if Greitens wins, Democrats could feasibly draw national money to replay the highlights of Greitens’ scandals and potentially win a general election. By G. McConway on March 8, 2021 Another Republican relic has announced that he will not be running for re-election in 2022. Blunt, a two-term senator, has been generally supportive of Trump. Any successful candidate will still need to demonstrate strong support for Trump like Greitens has, Ponder said, but candidates like Ashcroft or Schmitt could pitch themselves as pro-Trump without Greitens' “baggage.". Coleman said Blunt's retirement creates the possibility of a "messy" Republican primary involving Trump, his supporters and anti-Trump campaigners. Senator Roy Blunt Retiring at End of Term. Please Missouri, Show Me some decency and give Blunt the boot. 4-ranking Republican in the Senate, and the fifth GOP senator to announce he will not run for re-election in 2022 … In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Blunt did not give a reason for voluntarily leaving the Senate, though he said he's still looking forward to being there through next year, and that he plans to "finish strong.". Republican Senator Roy Blunt will not seek re-election in 2022, he announced on Monday. Bannons War Room Published March 8, 2021. I am so happy I feel guilty sometimes.". washington examiner. Monday’s announcement could represent both good and bad news for a Greitens bid, however. And then there were five. Schmitt, the state’s top legal officer, previously expressed interest in running for Senate in 2018, before then-Attorney General Josh Hawley entered the race. In last month's Senate impeachment trial, Toomey and Burr were among the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump on a charge that he incited the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. by larrymlease March 9, 2021. national review. In a video announcement Monday, the Niangua native said he will not seek a third term in his seat in 2022.