Missouri Governor Blunt Announces Surprise Retirement

Missouri governor Matt Blunt, the son of House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), announced this afternoon that he will not be running for re-relection as governor of Missouri.

The surprise announcement comes as the 37-year-old Blunt has faced low approval ratings and a backlash from voters, many of whom soured on him after his 2005 decision to cut nearly 100,000 people from Medicaid in 2005.

Blunt taped an address from the governor’s mansion announcing his decision, and released the video on YouTube. He will be holding a news conference tomorrow morning to further explain his decision.

“I know the habit of politicians is to remain in office and the desire to prove oneself in the next election is strong,” Blunt said in his announcement. “After a great deal of thought and prayer, and with the knowledge that we have achieved virtually everything I set out to accomplish, and more, I will not seek a second term in the upcoming election.”

In the announcement, he also cited the desire to spend more time with his wife, Melanie and his two-year-old son, Branch.

His father, Roy Blunt, said in a statement  that he respected his son's decision "to spend this year being the best governor he can be in service of our state and its people." (see more here)

Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon is the likely Democratic nominee, and has been aggressively attacking Blunt since he announced his candidacy.

 “I will continue to focus on changing the direction of our state so that more Missourians have access to health care, more Missourians can find good-paying jobs and more Missouri children can get the quality education they deserve," Nixon said in a statement.