Emerson won’t run for Missouri governorship

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) will not run for governor and instead seek reelection.

“I had a lot of encouragement, I had a lot of people say, ‘We love you in your job now and I think you should stay,’” Emerson said Monday in a conference call, adding that she made the decision over the weekend. The lawmaker stated she thought she could win the gubernatorial election and that she would make a great governor but added that her work in Congress was not yet done.

“One of the biggest priorities is the farm bill,” Emerson said, highlighting the legislation’s importance to her southern Missouri district.

She did not commit to endorsing a candidate in the open gubernatorial race. “I’m going to let this shake out a little bit because filing hasn’t even opened yet.”

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (R) and Treasurer Sarah Steelman (R) have declared their intention to run for the seat, which opened up when Gov. Matt Blunt (R) announced last week that he would not seek another term. It has been rumored that Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.) could also run for the seat. Emerson is a centrist who is serving her sixth term. She was reelected by 72 percent in 2006 to serve a district that heavily favored President Bush in 2004. Bush defeated Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) 63 to 36 percent.

As of the September filing deadline, the lawmaker raised $303,940 for her reelection campaign.