Kit Bond files papers to seek fourth term in U.S. Senate

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- U.S. Sen. Kit Bond made his re-election campaign official Monday, filing candidacy papers in front of agricultural leaders who said his experience was reason for voters to grant him a fourth Senate term.

The 65-year-old Republican senator, who will appear on the ballot as "Christopher (Kit) Bond," is expected to face Democratic State Treasurer Nancy Farmer in the Nov. 2 general election, although both first must turn back challengers in the August party primaries.

The filing period for Missouri's elections expires at the end of business Tuesday.

Bond, who kicked off his re-election campaign last week in a series of news conferences across the state, said Monday that "I'm going to emphasize my experience, leadership and my ability to get the job done."

He cited his work on the reauthorization of the federal highway funding bill and on a water resources bill, as well as his service on the Senate Intelligence Committee and his efforts on behalf of agriculture.

Alongside him as he filed his paperwork were representatives of four agriculture-related groups, including the Missouri Corn Growers Association, which had never endorsed a candidate in its 26-year history before pledging to back Bond this year.

Farmer's campaign, meanwhile, tried to cast doubt on Bond's claims of accomplishments.

"He keeps talking about delivering for Missourians, but really in Washington, he's delivering for the special interests and the campaign contributors," said Farmer spokesman Safir Ahmed.

Ahmed claimed Bond received $105,000 in campaign contributions last year from corporate political action committees of companies that sent jobs overseas or chose to employ less-expensive workers outside the United States.

Ahmed said Farmer would not accept campaign contributions from the political action committees of any of the roughly 285 businesses identified by CNN as exporting American jobs to other countries.

------

On the Net:

Bond: http://www.kitbond.com

Farmer: http://www.nancyfarmerforussenate.com