Formation of campaign committee indicates Steelman may be eyeing governor's mansion

When Sarah Steelman lost a hard-fought Republican gubernatorial primary to Congressman Kenny Hulshof in 2008, no one in political circles counted her out for future runs for statewide or federal office.

For a time, the former state treasurer appeared to be flirting with a run for Congress, but stepped aside for Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt.

A filing July 6 with the Missouri Ethics Commission indicates Mrs. Steelman is eyeing a reappearance on the political scene in 2012. Paper documents announcing the formation of another Friends of Steelman campaign committee were scanned into the Ethics Commission website, even though oddly enough the documents themselves are dated April 23.

A notation at the bottom of the filing indicates Mrs. Steelman intends to shoot for statewide office (though forming a campaign committee does not obligate someone to actually run). Statewide offices available in 2012 include lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state treasurer, but it would seem unlikely that Mrs. Steelman, after having a taste of running for the top office in the state and being touted as a candidate for a U. S. office would settle for anything less than governor.

Ethics Commission records indicate Mrs. Steelman shut down the debt service committee for her gubernatorial campaign June 28, still owing $718,822.53.