By Brandy Bailey, ElectWomen Contributor

In 2010 there will be several highly targeted U.S. Senate races.  One such race will undoubtedly be in Missouri for the seat that is currently held by Republican Kit Bond.  Bond recently announced that he will not seek re-election and Republicans now consider this a must win seat.

Currently, leading the pack of contenders for Democrats is Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.  She was first elected in 2004 and easily won her re-election is 2008 by garnering more votes than any other statewide candidate in the state’s history.  In her role as Secretary of State, Carnahan has cracked down on financial fraud, helped businesses cut costs and cut through red-tape, and worked to safeguard the integrity of elections statewide.

For her hard work Carnahan has also been acknowledged on a national level.  In 2005 non-partisan think tank the Aspen Institute named Secretary Carnahan a “rising star” in American government and chose her to be among a nationwide group of only 20 government leaders selected for their ability to work across party lines to get things done.  During the 2008 election cycle, she served as co-chair of the Elections Committee for the bi-partisan National Association of Secretaries of State.

She has also picked up some impressive endorsements for her senate campaign including Emily’s List and the Teamsters union.  Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez has all but endorsed Carnahan. 

Carnahan’s campaign has already had great success so far fundraising recently announcing that in the two months since she announced her candidacy she has already raised $1.05 million from more than 1,400 contributors.  And with Menendez supporting her she should have an easy time obtaining DSCC funds.

Republicans want to win this seat badly due to the progress that Democrats have made in recent elections; junior Senator Claire McCaskill is a Democrat as is new Governor, Jay Nixon.  And President Obama came within a few thousand votes of winning Missouri in last year’s presidential election.  Carnahan will undoubtedly face a tough battle against a very conservative Republican opponent when November comes.  But she has a strong reputation and her campaign is off to a good start; hers is a race to watch.

To read more or to contribute to Robin Carnahan, visit: http://www.robincarnahan.com/