Blunt: GOP will have a strong contender to fill Hulshof seat

Though all indications suggest 2008 is not going to be a Republican year, Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt is confident the GOP will have a strong contender for the Ninth District seat, which has opened up following the decision by Kenny Hulshof to run for governor:

But, he said, Republicans can't take anything for granted, and much will depend on how heavily the GOP's presidential nominee invests in Missouri.

"We're going to have to see our presidential candidate very interested in helping drive turnout," Blunt said.

As for the national outlook, Blunt dismissed the gloomy predictions, saying the high number of GOP retirements actually could work in his party's favor.

"In a year when voters are clearly interested in change, having a Republican run … from outside of Washington is better than having a Republican who's tired of being in Congress and has voted 22,000 times," Blunt said.