Lessons from 2008 should be learned by MO GOP before 2010

Jay Nixon will soon take office as Missouri's governor.  That's a result far worse than Kenny Hulshof, Sarah Steelman, or Peter Kinder would have been.  And, while it may have happened even without the bloody primary fight between Hulshof and Steelman, we'll never know.  What we do know is this . . . it couldn't have helped.  Time and money spent attacking each other could have and should have been spent against Nixon.

Today, Missouri's senior senator, Republican Kit Bond, announced that he will not seek reelection in 2010.  And the crowded field of potential GOP candidates to replace him already seems likely to repeat the mistakes of last years gubernatorial primary.

Here's hoping that Roy Blunt, Kinder, Steelman, Jim Talent, Jo Ann Emerson, and the rest of the contenders learn the lessons of 2008 and rally, early, around one candidate . . . for the good of the party, Missouri, and the country.