Emerson may run for Senate in 2012

In an interview for KRCU’s Going Public, Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson says that she is considering a run for the US Senate in 2012.

Emerson chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. If she chooses to run, she would face Ed Martin and Sarah Steelman in the Republican primary. The winner will challenge incumbent Claire McCaskill.

Emerson says that she is not going to rush into a decision.

"In between everything else, I may think about it here for the next several weeks," she says.

Also in the interview, Emerson says that she favors repeal of last year’s health care overhaul law instead of eliminating parts of it piece-by-piece.

"I think that the whole complexity of the health care law really does require repeal and then to write a new law that encompasses all of those things that I think we agree on."

Those things that can be agreed upon, she says, include extending coverage to children up to 26 years old and the ability to get affordable insurance in spite of pre-existing conditions.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Ed Martin runs for Senate

Fresh on the heels of his failed bid for U.S. Congress, St. Louis Republican Ed Martin has announced his candidacy for Senate.

Martin made the announcement via YouTube video on Monday.

So far Martin and former-Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman have announced their intent to run, and there is speculation that others may join the race.

Martin says he feels that primaries are a healthy process and need not hurt the Republican Party.

"I think it will be great," Martin said. "I mean, the hard part is when competition damages people and gives people false impressions. But, I’m confident that we can talk about the central issue—size, scope and cost of the federal government."

In a statement, Martin highlighted Senator Claire McCaskill’s support of the bank bailouts and President Obama’s healthcare overhaul.

Adam Allington, St. Louis Public Radio

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