Leading Republicans come to Moberly to throw support behind Blunt in US Senate race

U.S. Sen. Kit Bond came to Moberly Sunday with U.S. Rep. Blaine Leutkemeyer, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt and Missouri state Senator Kurt Schaeffer in a joint effort to campaign for Blunt’s election to the senate seat Bond is vacating.

The group has been busy meeting with constituents, with Randolph County the final of the 114 Missouri counties to be visited.

“Roy Blunt is committed to Missouri,” said Bond. “He has visited all 114 counties in Missouri. You can’t represent every county unless you go there and listen. It makes a difference and Roy Blunt listens.”

Blunt agreed with Bond’s assessment that the country is going down the wrong path and cited “Obamacare” as one of the major culprits.

“There are alternatives,” Blunt said of the health care bill. “We need to repeal it and do the right thing.”

Blunt said retaining Bond’s senate seat for the Republicans is important and will send a loud signal that people know what the change is now and they don’t want it. He quoted President Ronald Reagan as saying each generation has to secure liberty for itself and the 2010 election, even more than the presidential election of 2012, is going to be important in regards to the path on which the nation continues.

“People know its that big a deal,” said Blunt. “They all know what’s at stake. It can’t be bigger than extending liberty to the next generation.”

In a humorous attempt to decry the current activities in Congress, Leutkemeyer quoted the late humorist Will Rogers as saying, “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”

Leutkemeyer reiterated the previous sentiment expressed that the country is going down a path that it doesn’t want to go down. He spoke of the work he has done in the House with Blunt and how Blunt was one to seek ways to get things done.

“Roy is a problem solver,” said Leutkemeyer. “He works together for solutions that get things done.”

Leutkemeyer said, as Republicans, the seat being sought by Blunt is important.

“We need to maintain that 41^st seat,” he said. “It is a key seat that is needed to show we are willing to stand up to the president.”

Blunt spoke against the new health care plan. He said one of the things learned recently is that the plan will require Medicare to be cut $500 billion. Blunt said there are various ways to remove the bill but the “real way” is to pass an alternative bill that the president will sign “to do the right thing.”

There are nine Republicans and three Democrats seeking the Senate seat with Blunt and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan the front runners of their parties. The Missouri primary election is August 3.