On the way to turning the seat into a red-lock: Talent is building a war chest and the Dems are struggling to find a worthy contender:
President Bush will headline a St. Louis dinner that is expected to raise more than $1 million for Sen. Jim Talent's re-election bid next year...
Talent, R-Mo., has already raised more than $1.3 million this year, with slightly more than that in the bank, according to campaign finance reports. Thursday's $2,000-a-plate fund-raiser would be Talent's largest single haul since the 2002 race, when he ousted incumbent Democratic Sen. Jean Carnahan...
Democrats hoping to turn back the tide have struggled to find a prominent candidate to take on Talent in 2006. National Democratic leaders have spent months courting State Auditor Claire McCaskill, who narrowly lost the governor's race to Republican Matt Blunt last year, but she has been reluctant so far to enter the fray.
Talent is popular, solidly conservative, and making a good name for himself. He's easily raising money while the Democrats scrape the barrel for someone to run against him. Off to a good start...
(Hat Tip: John Combest)
