TALENT WOULD BE HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE

Former U.S. Rep. Jim Talent of St. Louis, the narrow loser of the race for Missouri governor last November, now says he is likely to make the race next year for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Jean Carnahan.

Week before last, Talent announced he was filing papers to form an exploratory committee as a preparation to officially entering the race later on. The election will be held in November 2002.

In last year's race for governor, Talent came up about 23,000 votes short. This followed a career of four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

Before that, Talent served four terms in the Missouri House, including a stint as minority floor leader.

Talent brings an impressive resume into the contest with Carnahan, who hasn't announced her plans for the future.

The holder of a law degree from the University of Chicago, the brainy Talent was a leader on welfare-reform and urban revitalization issues during his tenure in Congress.

Assuming she makes the race for the four-year balance of her term, Carnahan will likely prove a formidable candidate.

She has already announced fund-raising at an impressive $2.3 million, placing her first among all incumbent Senate Democrats.

Moreover, Carnahan continues to benefit from sympathy owing to her husband's fatal plane crash last October just three weeks before the election, a tragic mishap that also took the lives of her son -- the plane's pilot -- and a longtime close aide.

Talent can be expected to point to Carnahan's vote against the confirmation of Attorney General John Ashcroft. This snub came after Ashcroft graciously conceded the election to her, casting aside legalities that could have placed the election outcome in doubt for months while the question was litigated as to the legality of her appointment following her husband's victory -- three weeks after his death.

On the outcome of this race could hinge control of the nearly evenly divided U.S. Senate. The issue differences should make for a spirited campaign and a clear choice for Missourians.