Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Enter Elmer

DARK HORSE
***The 7th Shuffle***
"BITE THE CHUNK NOW"

Nixa Alderman Kevin Elmer says he's relatively confident he'll launch a candidacy for the 7th Congressional District seat if Roy Blunt jumps into the U.S. Senate race.

The Salem, Mo. native, who is a law firm partner in Springfield and resides in Nixa tells the KY3 Political Notebook he is ready to make the underdog leap as a relatively unknown candidate in a 2010 Republican primary.

Elmer won his first political race for Nixa Alderman last April -- by just 3 votes.

"I've always had aspirations for doing something on a much wider spectrum, and going out to D.C. to ultimately represent Missouri," Elmer said in an interview. "I always thought Blunt's seat would open up someday, but not this soon. So the question becomes, do you bite all of this off now, or do you do stuff on track and hope to get another shot? I think you bite the chunk off now."

His Republican philosophy is conservative all-around. "Very conservative fiscally," he says. Socially conservative as well. Pro-life, anti-embryonic stem cell, anti-gay marriage, anti-tax, pro-business.

Elmer realizes his biggest obstacle in his outsider climb is "having the resources to get the message out there." "I'm not a rich guy. I'm not a lifelong politician. The difficulty is to overcome the predestined, anointed candidate. But that's what's wrong with politics today. They're already beholden to someone before leaving the state," Elmer said, speaking of no one in particular.

"I'm relatively confident I'm going to do this," Elmer said while making his case. "Even though it may sound difficult, that's how I operate. He said area Republicans and Democrats he's spoken too have not said his candidacy would be "totally crazy." But said at least one person called it a "crazy, stupid idea." "If I listened to people like that, I'd still be laying brick with my dad," Elmer said.

While no formal moves will be made until Congressman Blunt makes his decision known, Elmer said he has spoken to some statewide G.O.P. leaders and felt out "possible pockets of fundraising." He said he's also cleared his probable decision with his law partners and his family.

"This is a once in a decade opportunity," Elmer said. "It doesn't come along very often."
Elmer will be attending this weekend's G.O.P. Lincoln Days in Kansas City.

Other potential G.O.P. candidates for the 7th District include: Sen. Jack Goodman, Sen. Gary Nodler, Rep. Shane Schoeller, Billy Long and former State Rep. B.J. Marsh.





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