John

This article or section contains information about an upcoming election. It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content about candidates may change dramatically as the election approaches and more information becomes available.

The Missouri Senate election of 2006 will be held on November 7, 2006. Whoever is elected will serve between January 3, 2007 and January 3, 2013.

The incumbent is Republican Jim Talent. Talent was elected in a special election in 2002 when he narrowly defeated incumbent Democrat Jean Carnahan. Carnahan had been appointed to the Senate seat following the posthumous election of her husband Mel Carnahan, who had died in a plane crash shortly before the 2000 election.

Talent, anticipating a tough re-election battle and attempting to dissuade challengers, has already accumulated a large war chest [1]. For most of 2005, he had no opposition. State Senator Chuck Graham had breifly entered the race early in the year, but dropped out soon after. However, on August 30, 2005 Democratic state auditor Claire McCaskill announced her intention to run for Talent's Senate seat. McCaskill starts with a large financial disadvantage, but she is also an experienced candidate with high name recognition. McCaskill has run two successful campaigns for state auditor. She was also a candidate for governor in 2004. She defeated the incumbent Democratic Governor Bob Holden in the primary election but lost with 48% of the vote in the general election.

Candidates

Democrats

• Claire McCaskill, two-term state auditor and 2004 Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri

Republicans

• Jim Talent, incumbent Senator

Polling