A timeline of events in Hulshof's political career

Sept. 18, 1992: Kenny Hulshof, assistant attorney general, confirms he is working to win appointment as prosecuting attorney of Boone County. Other contenders include Kevin Crane, a Boone County native and assistant prosecutor.

Nov. 23, 1992: The Boone County Republican Central Committee votes 17-15 to recommend Crane to Gov. John Ashcroft for appointment as prosecutor. Hulshof's supporters fail in a bid to keep the balloting secret.

June 1994: After Republican congressional candidate Rick Hardy is hospitalized for depression and exhaustion, Hulshof announces he will seek the GOP nomination in the Ninth Congressional District. He is selected as the candidate June 20.

Nov. 8, 1994: Hulshof loses to incumbent U.S. Rep. Harold Volkmer. In the ensuing weeks, Volkmer pressures Attorney General Jay Nixon to sack Hulshof. Nixon refuses.

January 1996: Hulshof resigns from the attorney general's office in preparation for another bid for Congress.

February 1996: Hulshof files for Congress for the second time. He is opposed in the primary by Dr. Harry Eggleston, a St. Charles County eye surgeon.

Aug. 6, 1996: Hulshof is the apparent loser of the primary by 827 votes against Eggleston, who spent close to $1 million of his own money on the contest. But a 1,000 vote error is discovered in the tally, giving Hulshof the win by 173 votes. Eggleston seeks a recount.

Aug. 30, 1996: Hulshof is declared the winner of the Ninth Congressional District Republican primary by 165 following a recount.

Nov. 5, 1996: Hulshof defeats Volkmer by 3 percent of the vote, the only Republican nationwide to defeat a veteran Democrat.

Jan. 7, 1997: Hulshof sworn in as congressman. Hulshof is named to the House Ways and Means Committee as Republicans seek to shore up the winner in the traditionally Democratic house seat in Northeast Missouri.

November 1998: Hulshof wins re-election in a landslide as leading Democrats decline to take on the freshman incumbent.

November 2000: Hulshof wins re-election.

February 2002: Hulshof considers, but then rejects, seeking the U.S. Senate seat held by Jean Carnahan.

November 2002: Hulshof wins re-election. Hulshof and then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt meet to discuss the 2004 race for governor. Neither backs down.

January 2003: Hulshof announces he will skip the gubernatorial contest following the death of his father, Mississippi County farmer Paul Hulshof, from lung cancer.

November 2004: Hulshof wins re-election.

February 2005: Hulshof is kicked off the House Ethics Committee after chairing a subcommittee that investigated then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The Ethics Committee admonished DeLay, the lightest punishment allowed under House rules short of no punishment at all.

November 2006: Hulshof wins his sixth term in the U.S. House.

May 23, 2007: Hulshof confirms he is seeking to become president of the University of Missouri system. Hulshof's effort wins endorsement from Gov. Matt Blunt.

June 1, 2007: The UM Board of Curators announce they will start the search for a new president over after a businessman who was the leading contender withdrew. Hulshof withdraws from contention soon afterward.

Jan. 22, 2008: Blunt announces he will not seek re-election.

Jan. 29, 2008: Hulshof announces he will run for governor.

Aug. 5, 2008: Hulshof defeats state Treasurer Sarah Steelman in the Republican primary.