Could Not Running Hard Against Roy Hurt Claire?

That's the question that popped into my head while I was reading another portion of "Crashing the Gate."

The authors point out that Democrats should NEVER abandon challenging Republicans ANYWHERE -- even in the reddest of red areas they know they can't feasibly win.

3 Democrats have filed to run against Rep. Roy Blunt. But several Democrats I've talked to say none have a real chance. Authors Armstrong and Zuniga point out that fielding candidates in heavily Republican areas can help turnout energized voters that will aid other parts of the ticket.
The thinking goes that if Blunt had a real opponent, hacking away at him every day, it would force him to focus time and resources on his own opponent - even if he or she is a long, long, long shot. Without a credible opponent, Blunt could dump money to Senator Talent. In addition, a smart, savey challenger who used free media well could help drive out the Democratic base in this bastion of conservatism. The logic is, you still won't beat Blunt. But you may pull more votes for McCaskill in an area that has been tough for Dems.

This is how they sum it all up:

"No matter how you look at it, challenging Republicans in all races and all geographic areas is a good idea - it builds the Democratic Party's brand, it exhausts Republicans' resources and it sows the seeds for future Democratic wins."