After afternoon stops in Jefferson City and St. Louis, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt traveled to Carthage last Friday to make it official: he’s running for U.S. Senate.

Blunt, a Republican, kicked off his campaign to replace retiring Republican Sen. Kit Bond in next November’s federal elections. Though the votes won’t be counted for 20 months, Blunt explained his decision to announce his candicacy during a rally in the lobby of the Jasper County Courthouse.

“I decided that it was important I make a decision,” Blunt said. “I want to have time to do my job and talk to the people I hope to work for in the whole state during the next 20 months, and frankly, if my decision was no I thought I needed to make that as well. With state Lincoln day coming up, it turned out to be a good point for me to decide ‘Look, I’m either going to tell Republicans by state Lincoln Day that I’m running or that they need to find somebody else.’ “

State Rep. Bryan Stevenson(R-Webb City)

“I think it’s great. I think it’s exciting, wonderful. He’s been a phenomenal Congressman. We will hate to lose him as our 7th Congressional District Congressman but I think he will be a phenomenal Senator and I’m happy to wholeheartedly endorse him.”

State Rep. Tom Flanigan (R-Carthage)

“I think it’s going to be a wonderful campaign. It’ll be positive and focused on the issues. I think it’s going to be good for the Republican party to get behind Roy Blunt.”

State Rep. Marilyn Ruestman (R-Joplin)

“I anticipated this could happen. Roy Blunt is absolutely politically in line to run for Senate. He’s been in the House for many years and been in leadership in the House. It’s an anticipated political move. I think Roy would absolutely have the political qualifications to think about this position.”