A article in today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch surveying the field of GOP Senate hopefuls who came out for the annual GOP Lincoln Day dog-and-pony show confirmed that Ann Wagner is, indeed, leaning toward putting her hat in the ring. No real surprise there.

It also, somewhat unexpectedly (to me at least), mentioned Rep. Todd Akin (R-2) as a possible Senate candidate. Fall-out from the possible changes redistricting could wreak on his district perhaps?  In what would be a bizarre face-about, it was earlier suggested that Wagner might be the GOPer in his primary race.

I’m betting that it would certainly go a long way toward reconciling the Democratic base to DINO Claire McCaskill if she ended up facing the wingnut’s wingnut, Akin, should he manage to weather the primary. I personally would genuflect every time she entered St. Louis County.

Another thought that the article gave rise to had to do with a rather strange (I thought) comment about Sarah Steelman’s candidacy:

Steelman, a former state treasurer and state senator from Rolla, said she is “absolutely not” considering shifting to another statewide race if the Senate contest gets crowded.

Is this maybe just a coded way of asking candidates like Steelman and Martin if they would defer should the party manage to find a candidate (like Wagner?) who would be more viable in the general election?  Or is it just some species of GOP sexism that the question was seemingly asked of the only other female candidate?

Of course, nobody would be foolish enough to ask Martin if he would step aside for Wagner – since, as he himself declared about himself, “I don’t see anybody that’s better at retail politicking and raising the money.” Hmmm …. retail politicking. Is that where pols put themselves up for sale to the highest bidder?