Secretary of State Jason Kander's decision to run gives Democrats a chance to expand the Senate map.
On Thursday, Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander
announced that he would challenge Republican Sen. Roy Blunt for re-election. Kander gives his party a credible candidate in a tough race, and ensures that Team Red will need to work to safeguard another Senate seat in a cycle where they're mostly on the defensive.
Kander enters the race with the backing of Missouri's Democratic statewide elected officials, and he's unlikely to face any real primary opposition. Kander has only won statewide once, but he proved in 2012 that he is capable of prevailing in tough races. He defeated then-state Rep. Shane Schoeller 49-47 at the same time Mitt Romney was carrying the Show Me State 54-44. As an Afghanistan veteran, Kander also has a background that contrasts well with Blunt, who has served in Congress for decades.
While Kander expands the map for Senate Democrats, Blunt is still the clear favorite at this stage. Missouri become increasingly Republican in recent years, especially at the federal level. And while Blunt is not an exciting candidate, there's little doubt that he's ready to run a real race. Blunt has been stockpiling resources for his re-election campaign and has scared off notable primary challengers. Blunt also starts out far better known than Kander, and he'll work to make sure that voters do not get a good first impression of the Democrat.
Republicans begin with a clear edge, and Kander and his allies are going to need to work hard to pull off an upset. But Kander's entrance gives his party the chance to pull off a win in a contest that, only a few months ago, looked like a lock for the GOP. We'll be watching all the developments at Daily Kos Elections.