If the Republican Party is to win the four seats they need to take the Senate, they will almost certainly need to start by defeating Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who squeaked into the Senate six years ago in a Democratic wave in a state that has steadily shifted rightward since.
Missouri Republicans went to the polls Tuesday to choose the candidate they hope will beat McCaskill, and early returns showed Rep. Todd Akin with a small but steady lead in a tight race with former state treasurer Sarah Steelman and wealthy businessman John Brunner.
Unlike in other recent key Republican Senate primaries, including races in Texas and Indiana, none of the three candidates were traditional establishment picks, and each had sought to lay claim to the mantle of small government outsider.
But in the final days of the race, they had sought to appeal to different splinters of the conservative electorate.
Akin received a late surge of support from evangelicals, impressed by his close ties to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and his long-standing support for conservative social causes.
McCaskill appeared to be rooting for Akin as well. She ran ads clearly designed to boost his chances — criticizing him as the most conservative candidate in a backhanded attempt to appeal to a Republican electorate looking for the most right-leaning choice, an unusual strategy that could have boosted his numbers.
A race against Akin would let McCaskill highlight his long record in Congress, including support for earmarks and recent votes for the controversial Republican budget written by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.).
Brunner, a first-time candidate who spent more than $7.5 million of his own money, positioned himself as a Mitt Romney-style job creator, basing his campaign on his years as head of successful health-care product manufacturer Vi-Jon.
Steelman received late support from former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who has had the golden touch this year — every candidate she has endorsed has won his or her primary. Palin told Missouri voters that Steelman possesses a maverick’s willingness to buck the establishment, including leaders of the GOP when necessary, to cut spending and taxes.
Palin invested considerable energy in the race, dishing out barbecue with Steelman at a berry patch south of Kansas City on Friday and producing several ads on her behalf.
But the real question Tuesday was whether the identity of the Republican candidate would matter much to the outcome in November of a race that will test McCaskill’s folksy and tireless campaigning style.
National Republicans have long believed that she would be vulnerable to any challenger, after voting in favor of Democratic health-care reform and the economic stimulus plan. They think she took a hit as well when it was revealed in 2011 that she had not paid property taxes on a private plane. She later paid the taxes and sold the plane.
“Senator McCaskill is the most endangered incumbent in either party, for the simple reason that her voting record is wildly out of step with the voters of Missouri,” said Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Missouri Republicans went to the polls Tuesday to choose the candidate they hope will beat McCaskill, and early returns showed Rep. Todd Akin with a small but steady lead in a tight race with former state treasurer Sarah Steelman and wealthy businessman John Brunner.
Unlike in other recent key Republican Senate primaries, including races in Texas and Indiana, none of the three candidates were traditional establishment picks, and each had sought to lay claim to the mantle of small government outsider.
But in the final days of the race, they had sought to appeal to different splinters of the conservative electorate.
Akin received a late surge of support from evangelicals, impressed by his close ties to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and his long-standing support for conservative social causes.
McCaskill appeared to be rooting for Akin as well. She ran ads clearly designed to boost his chances — criticizing him as the most conservative candidate in a backhanded attempt to appeal to a Republican electorate looking for the most right-leaning choice, an unusual strategy that could have boosted his numbers.
A race against Akin would let McCaskill highlight his long record in Congress, including support for earmarks and recent votes for the controversial Republican budget written by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.).
Brunner, a first-time candidate who spent more than $7.5 million of his own money, positioned himself as a Mitt Romney-style job creator, basing his campaign on his years as head of successful health-care product manufacturer Vi-Jon.
Steelman received late support from former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who has had the golden touch this year — every candidate she has endorsed has won his or her primary. Palin told Missouri voters that Steelman possesses a maverick’s willingness to buck the establishment, including leaders of the GOP when necessary, to cut spending and taxes.
Palin invested considerable energy in the race, dishing out barbecue with Steelman at a berry patch south of Kansas City on Friday and producing several ads on her behalf.
But the real question Tuesday was whether the identity of the Republican candidate would matter much to the outcome in November of a race that will test McCaskill’s folksy and tireless campaigning style.
National Republicans have long believed that she would be vulnerable to any challenger, after voting in favor of Democratic health-care reform and the economic stimulus plan. They think she took a hit as well when it was revealed in 2011 that she had not paid property taxes on a private plane. She later paid the taxes and sold the plane.
“Senator McCaskill is the most endangered incumbent in either party, for the simple reason that her voting record is wildly out of step with the voters of Missouri,” said Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.