Missouri Chamber Endorses Hulshof

STEELMAN CAMP: "This is a Jefferson City based lobbying group."

UPDATE: FLASHBACK - Spence Called Chamber Endorsement "Instrumental" in Blunt's '04 Victory

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is endorsing Republican Kenny Hulshof for Governor.

Chamber president and chief executive officer Dan Mehan made the announcement on Monday at Hunter Engineering Co. in the St. Louis suburb of Bridgeton.

Hulshof will be in Springfield Tuesday at the Loren Cook Company at 3 p.m. with Mehan to highlight the endorsement.

Sarah Steelman's campaign released this statement following the endorsement:

"This is a Jefferson City based lobbying group trying to shroud Congressman Hulshof’s record on earmarks, pork barrel spending and record deficits," said Steelman spokesperson Spence Jackson. "Sarah Steelman is focused on issues impacting average Missourians like rising fuel prices and providing real tax relief."

***UPDATE . . . According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jackson didn't feel the same way following Matt Blunt's victory in 2004. Hulshof campaign manager John Hancock pointed the KY3 Political Notebook to a statement made by Jackson in a November 16th article:

Said Blunt spokesman Spence Jackson, "The endorsements of groups like the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau, the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police played an instrumental role in the governor-elect's victory."