Who Will Replace Roy Blunt? 3 Demcocrats, 3 Republicans Who May Run For Missouri Senate

Sen. Roy Blunt has announced he won’t run for reelection in 2022, opening the field for a competitive primary. He’s the latest of five senior Republicans to announce retirement.

Blunt, 71, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He defeated Democrat Jason Kander in 2016 in a tighter-than-expected race, 49.18% to 46.39%.

Pro-Donald Trump devotees are eager to replace him, Politico reports.

The retirements seem to be driven by the direction of the Republican party, with Sen. Mitch McConnell’s traditional conservatives vying to wrest control from Trump’s alt-right. Other prominent losses include Sens. Rob Portman, Pat Toomey, Richard Shelby and Richard Burr.

The alt-right has been more than happy to fill the void, with several pro-Trump candidates already looking to grab Blunt’s seat. Former Gov. Eric Greitens has said he’s considering a run, along with Reps. Ann Wagner and Jason Smith.

The Democratic side of the field also has several potential candidates. Scott Sifton, a former Democratic state senator, announced a bid last month that received backing from the only Democratic state-level official, auditor Nicole Galloway.

Galloway lost in the state gubernatorial election in 2020. Kander said he will not run.

According to The Kansas City Star, other Democrats include Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Kansas City activist Timothy Shepard, whose long-shot bid would make him the first openly gay Kansas federal officeholder.

“I rise each day thinking about how I can best serve the people of Kansas City and Missouri, and I will consider over the next several weeks whether that is in a statewide position — something no African American has ever done,” Lucas said Monday. “Today, I remain focused on leading our city through the COVID-19 pandemic and our economic recovery.”

The seat is considered a fairly safe one for Republicans, with Trump easily defeating Joe Biden in 2020 despite closer congressional races.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who heads the Republican National Committee’s senatorial branch, says Republicans “will hold this seat” and his staff “will work tirelessly” to do so.