November 12, 2008 - 3:21 pm — Safe Democratic — #4
This race began was one of the most closely watched in the country, but ended as one of its more boring. Nixon won 58 percent to 39 percent.

November 7, 2008 - 9:51 am — Safe Democratic — #4
Nixon beat Hulshof 58 percent to 40 percent, according to the Kansas City Star.

October 30, 2008 - 12:54 pm — Safe Democratic — #4
Hulshof appeared at a rally for Republican vice presidential candidate on Thursday morning, pumping up the crowd before she came on stage, according to the Southeast Missourian.

October 27, 2008 - 12:24 pm — Safe Democratic — #4
In a new SurveyUSA poll, Nixon has a large lead, 55 percent to 38 percent.

Nixon leads 55 percent to 41 percent in the latest Research 2000 poll.

October 22, 2008 - 11:15 am — Safe Democratic — #4
Gregoire appeared with Democrat vice presidential candidate Joe Biden at a campaign stop in Tacoma over the weekend, the Seattle Times reports. The event drew an estimated 12,000 people.

Gregoire picked up five more newspaper endorsements over the weekend, according to PolitickerWA.com. Pro-Gregoire editorials appeared in the Spokesman-Review, Everett Herald, Bellingham Herald, Skagit Valley Herald and Kitsap Sun.

October 22, 2008 - 11:14 am — Safe Democratic — #4
In a profile of the race, The Wall Street Journal notes that the Missouri electorate is geographically divided. In St. Louis and its suburbs, Nixon is more popular, and in the rural areas, Hulshof is more popular.

October 20, 2008 - 3:57 pm — Safe Democratic — #4
Nixon has his biggest advantage to date in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll. The Democrat is leading 57 percent to 38 percent. In the previous poll, released in mid-September, he led 54 percent to 39 percent.

Hulshof and Nixon are scheduled to debate at 8 p.m. on Friday, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

October 16, 2008 - 1:41 pm — Leans Democratic — #5
Nixon has a large financial advantage, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He has raised $13.5 million and his opponent $7.1 million. As of Sept. 30, the Democrat had $3.2 million in the bank while the Republican had $1.2 million.
The candidates are also raking in some big contributions. Nixon collected $1 million from the Democratic Governor's Association and $500,000 from AFSCME as well as $100,000 each from two unions. Hulshof got $400,000 from the Republican Governors Association, $100,000 from a multimillionaire Rex Sinquefield's PAC and $300,000 from several members of a family that owns a roofing supply company in Joplin.

A new Public Policy Polling survey showed Nixon leading 52 percent to 39 percent.

October 15, 2008 - 12:58 pm — Leans Democratic — #5
In an interview with the News-Press's editorial board on Tuesday, Hulshof admitted that his tightly contested primary with Treasurer Sarah Steelman gave him a reputation for backing federal earmarks.
"Sometimes family feuds are the most difficult," Hulshof said.

October 14, 2008 - 12:27 pm — Leans Democratic — #5

In the latest SurveyUSA poll, Nixon has a commanding lead, 56 percent to 32 percent. Three weeks ago, the Democrat also led but only by 17 points

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour attended a rally and private fundraiser for Hulshof on Tuesday, according to the Southeast Missourian.

October 13, 2008 - 12:45 pm — Leans Democratic — #5
Nixon introduced Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden at a rally in downtown Springfield on Friday, and Biden said he and Obama would ride the gubernatorial candidate's coattails to victory on Nov. 4, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

October 10, 2008 - 3:59 pm — Leans Democratic — #3
The candidates had a fierce exchange during a radio debate on Thursday over their records on taxes, according to The Kansas City Star. It was the second of four planned debates.

October 8, 2008 - 12:41 pm — Toss up — #3
The candidates are scheduled to debate on KRCU 90.9 FM radio from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday, according to the Southeast Missourian.

October 7, 2008 - 1:13 pm — Toss up — #3
Hulshof on Monday proposed creating the position of inspector general in the state. He also said more contracts, especially those related to attorneys, should be subject to competitive bidding, and he used the announcement to criticize his opponent, Attorney General Nixon, for what he characterized as ethical abuses, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

October 6, 2008 - 12:52 pm — Toss up — #3
Democrats are calling a $100,000 donation to Hulshof by a school-choice advocate into question, according to The Associated Press. The money, which was from retired mutual fund magnate Rex Sinquefield, came on the same day the Republican candidate announced his urban school reform plan. The Hulshof camp said there is no connection and fired back at Democrats by accusing them of trying to take attention away from Nixon's education policies. Democrats want Hulshof to return the donation.

October 3, 2008 - 1:21 pm — Toss up — #3
Hulshof told a crowd in Joplin that he plans to cast his second vote against the bailout plan on Friday, according to The Joplin Globe. At the event, a luncheon that was attended by about 140 women, he took an informal poll on the bailout and said the majority was against the bill.

September 30, 2008 - 12:42 pm — Toss up — #3
Hulshof voted no on the $700 billion bailout plan, which failed 228-205, according to the Columbia Missourian. "The price tag of the bill is excessive, and he just felt that some other options could have been looked at along the way," said Scott Callicott, a spokesman for Hulshof's congressional office.

To vote on the bailout bill, Hulshof had to cancel two campaign events on Monday (news conferences in St. Louis and Kansas City to outline his urban education plan), according to The Associated Press.

September 30, 2008 - 11:06 am — Toss up — #3
A new St. Louis-Post Dispatch/KMOV poll shows Nixon leading Hulshof by 9 points, 51 percent to 42 percent, according to The Associated Press. Last week, the same poll had Nixon up 7.

Popular Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is scheduled to attend two fundraisers for Hulshof on Tuesday, according to The Advocate.

September 26, 2008 - 1:21 pm — Toss up — #3
President Bush will appear at a fundraiser for Hulshof on Oct. 3, the Springfield News-Leader is reporting.

September 25, 2008 - 12:52 pm — Toss up — #3
According to the latest Elon poll, McCrory leads Perdue by a slim margin, 37 percent to 35 percent.

September 22, 2008 - 6:19 pm — Toss up — #2
A new poll, conducted for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KMOV-TV, shows Nixon leading Hulshof 50 percent to 43 percent, the Post-Dispatch is reporting.

September 16, 2008 - 12:37 pm — Toss up — #2
Renee Hulshof, the candidate's wife, is firing back at the Nixon campaign, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting. She is defending her husband from a Nixon commercial that alleges the Republican does not have a strong grasp of financial issues. "Many of you have been asking for a little ammunition to fight back on Jay Nixon's latest misleading and deceptive attack ad," she wrote in an e-mail to supporters. "I hope this 'truth watch' helps when you talk to your family and friends."

September 15, 2008 - 1:03 pm — Toss up — #2
For the seventh consecutive month, Nixon has a double-digit lead, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. He leads Hulshof 54 percent to 39 percent.

September 12, 2008 - 1:03 pm — Toss up — #2
The candidates faced off in their first debate on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. They locked horns over campaign finance limits and the best way to deal with rising college costs. On the eve of the debate, Hulshof unveiled his higher education plan.

September 10, 2008 - 3:07 pm — Toss up — #2

Five weeks after they faced off, Hulshof received a statement of support from the Republican he defeated in the primary, Treasurer Sarah Steelman, according to The Associated Press.

September 9, 2008 - 11:06 pm — Toss up — #2
Nixon has asked Hulshof to keep their debate at the University of Missouri's journalism school on Thursday positive in honor of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, according to the News-Leader. Hulshof balked at the request, saying they should use the attacks as a reason to have a "free and fair debate."

September 9, 2008 - 10:58 am — Toss up — #2
A new Nixon television ad is attacking Hulshof on the economy. He also launched an ad accusing his opponent of facilitating the outsourcing of jobs overseas, according to the Kansas City Star.

The Nixon campaign has more than twice as much money in its coffers than Hulshof's, according to The Associated Press. Missouri Ethics Commission reports show the Democrat began September with almost $2.4 million on hand. Hulshof reported just more than $1 million.

September 5, 2008 - 11:07 am — Toss up — #2
Nixon has pledged to go after politicians who use robocalls without saying who's behind them, The Associated Press reports. The calls are legal in Missouri – as long as the beginning of the recording clearly states their authors.

September 5, 2008 - 11:06 am — Toss up — #2
Hulshof unveiled his education plan, proposing to pay $15,000 bonuses to new math and science teachers, The Associated Press reports.

September 5, 2008 - 11:05 am — Toss up — #2
Hulshof, who was in attendance for vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's acceptance speech Wednesday, said he is looking for her popularity to give him a boost, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "I want to tap into their enthusiasm," Hulshof said Wednesday in Minneapolis.

September 4, 2008 - 11:09 am — Toss up — #2
According to the Springfield News-Leader, Nixon and Hulshof have agreed to at least four debates this fall. Hulshof is pushing for two more.

September 4, 2008 - 11:07 am — Toss up — #2
Since the lifting of the state's campaign contribution caps, both Hulshof and Nixon have been raking in money from big spenders, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The new law took effect Aug. 28, and a filing released by the Hulshof campaign a day later revealed $1.16 million from large donors. Nixon took in $411,000, and he appears even more likely to break the state's record for most money raised by a single candidate.

August 26, 2008 - 10:17 pm — Toss up — #2
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Republican Congressman Kenny Hulshof unveiled a health care plan for Missouri on Aug. 26 based on expanding the risk pool. 

August 18, 2008 - 1:58 pm — Toss up — #2

The Kansas City Star did an analysis about Nixon's campaign focus on health care. As unemployment rises, gas prices climb and the mortgage crisis deepens, Nixon is betting that health care is the problem that Missouri's next governor can actually address.

August 17, 2008 - 5:07 pm — Toss up — #2

Nixon began airing television ads painting Hulshof as a "tool for Big Oil," the News-Leader reports.

Also, Hulshof will meet with State Treasurer Sarah Steelman on Aug. 18. Hulshof defeated Steelman in the Aug. 5 GOP primary, but as the News-Leader reports, the one-on-one does not necessarily mean that Steelman will endorse the Republican gubernatorial nominee.

August 14, 2008 - 9:27 pm — Toss up — #2
Energy policy was on the minds of Missouri's gubernatorial candidates as they campaigned at the State Fair as reported on KHQA News. Democrat Jay Nixon and Republican Kenny Hulshof spent Thursday morning mingling among hungry early risers at the annual governor's ham breakfast.

August 12, 2008 - 7:05 am — Toss up — #2

In his column today Kansas City Star's Kraske says that while Nixon appears to be the in the driver's seat in every metric here there are four reasons why "the race isn't over".

"First, this is Missouri. Governor’s races are now almost always squeakers.

Come late August, limits on campaign contributions will vanish, meaning that Hulshof can begin pocketing $100,000 donations. Nixon’s financial edge could evaporate.

Third, Hulshof demonstrated Tuesday night that he’s got a base in his own 9th District. In county after county, Hulshof rang up 70-30 and even 80-20 margins. He won’t do that against Nixon, but he will win there by big numbers.

Finally, Nixon still is struggling to break 50 percent in the polls. That means despite all his advantages, it’s too early to begin calling him “governor.”

August 12, 2008 - 7:01 am — Toss up — #2

Missourinet.net gets two of the state's premier political journalists to discuss the dynamics of this race.

"St. Louis Post-Dispatch political reporter Jo Mannies says she's waiting to see what happens in the aftermath of a tough primary race, whether Sarah Steelman moves to heal the party rift and endorse Hulshof.

Both Mannies and Kansas City Star political reporter Steve Kraske believe Steelman exposed some weakness in the Hulshof campaign that will be used against him in the general election. Kraske says Steelman turned Hulshof's experience in Congress, first elected in 1996, against him, a tactic Nixon has already picked up on."

August 6, 2008 - 1:05 am

Hulshof was victorious in the Aug. 5 Republican primary beating State Treasurer Sarah Steelman 49 percent to 45 percent, the Associated Press reported with 98 percent of the precincts in. Meanwhile, Nixon easily won the Democratic primary getting about 85 percent of the vote.

For complete unofficial election results from the Missouri Secretary of State's office, click here. 

August 4, 2008 - 3:17 pm

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan predicts a higher than usual voter turnout in tomorrow's primary. 

Carnahan believes that about 1.24 million voters will be heading to the polls. The high turnout will likely benefit Steelman given that Hulshof enjoys more support from the party establishment.

July 31, 2008 - 5:12 pm
Republican candidates Sarah Steelman and Kenny Hulshof are on the air with new television ads.

Steelman's ad suggests she is the not a Washington insider like she accuses Hulshof of being. Hulshof issued a response ad talking about the Missouri lessons he learned from his family and then mentions his newspaper endorsements.