Blunt to announce bid for governor next week

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican Secretary of State Matt Blunt plans to make official next week what has been assumed for months -- that he is running for governor.

Blunt's campaign has booked a gymnasium for Jan. 14 at Strafford High School for what his campaign describes generally as "a major announcement."

A memo from the school district's athletic director to its physical education teachers confirms that the gym will be used to "announce that Matt Blunt is running for governor of the state of Missouri," Brenda Reed, the high school secretary, said Monday.

Blunt, 33, has been the presumptive Republican candidate for governor for nearly a year, building a campaign team and fund-raising under the generic banner of "Matt Blunt, Effective Leadership 2004," without officially declaring his candidacy.

Last month, Blunt hosted a fund-raiser in Kansas City attended by Vice President Dick Cheney. At the start of the new year, former state GOP executive director John Hancock joined Blunt's campaign payroll as a consultant.

Hancock said he was authorized to describe Blunt's news event only as "a major announcement ... that is much anticipated and will be enthusiastically received by the people of Missouri."

Blunt is the son of Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and the Majority Whip in the U.S. House, and followed his father's career path by winning election as secretary of state in 2000. Before that, Matt Blunt served in the Navy and then spent a single two-year term in the Missouri House.

He still serves in the Navy Reserves and just completed a routine two-week assignment at a base near London.

Blunt was born in Strafford and attended elementary and junior high school there. He graduated from high school in Jefferson City, where his family moved after his father won election as secretary of state in 1984.

So far, Blunt is the only Republican running for governor. Democratic Gov. Bob Holden also faces an intraparty challenge from State Auditor Claire McCaskill.

The primary election is Aug. 3, and the general election is Nov. 2.

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On the Net:

Secretary of State Matt Blunt: http://www.sos.mo.gov

Blunt campaign site: http://mattblunt.com