Democrat Robin Carnahan, who kept Missouri in suspense for months about her political plans for next year, announced Friday that she will not seek a third term as secretary of state.
Carnahan, 50, said she will not seek any office in 2012 and had no job awaiting her in the private sector. Carnahan’s health — she is a breast cancer survivor — was said not to be a factor in her decision.
In an interview with The Kansas City Star, Carnahan reflected on her late father, who moved several times between the public and private sectors before becoming governor in 1993.
“He always thought that time spent in the private sector was especially valuable to him,” Carnahan said. “It made him a better governor and a better public servant. I feel after eight years this is going to be a good time for me to broaden my experience as well.
“I don’t have any plans to do anything else. I just know I needed to make a decision about this, and that’s what I’ve done.”
Asked if she wants to become governor someday, Carnahan said: “We’ll see. I think I’d be a good one. As someone said to me, this isn’t a period when it comes to your public career, it’s a comma. And that’s how I feel about it. There’ll be another stage.”
For now, Carnahan’s announcement leaves the Missouri Democratic Party without one of its best-known officeholders on the 2012 ballot.
Although she was beaten badly in the 2010 race for the U.S. Senate by Republican Roy Blunt, members of both parties thought she would be tough to beat in a re-election bid. In 2008, the 1,749,152 votes Carnahan received in winning a second term set a Missouri record for a statewide office seeker.
Democratic insiders had speculated for months that Carnahan’s brother, Russ, a four-term St. Louis congressman, would run statewide if his sister opted out of the race. But he recently said he’ll seek another term in the House.
Except for 2003 and 2004, a Carnahan has held statewide office in Missouri since 1989.
Carnahan’s announcement set off a scramble within both parties.
Jason Kander, a two-term Democratic state representative from Kansas City, announced plans to run.
In a prepared statement, Kander said: “I am running for secretary of state, and I look forward to talking with citizens from across Missouri about my vision for the office.”
Another Kansas City area politician said to be considering the race is Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders, who declined to comment Friday.
Veteran Democratic political consultant Steve Glorioso said it would “be a real plus to have someone from western Missouri on the ticket.”
Missouri Sen. Scott Rupp, a Wentzville Republican, already has announced plans to run for secretary of state.
Other Republicans thought to be interested include Missouri Sens. Ron Richard of Joplin, Bill Stouffer of Napton and Mike Kehoe of Jefferson City, and Missouri Reps. Shane Schoeller of Willard and John Diehl of Town and Country.
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