Cunningham Eyes Congressional Contest

State Sen. Jane Cunningham is setting her sights on Congress.

In an interview Friday, Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, said she will run for the 2nd Congressional seat if U.S. Rep. Todd Akin runs for the U.S. Senate. Akin, a Republican from Town and Country, may announce his candidacy Tuesday in Creve Coeur.

“I give courtesy to the congressman while he holds that seat,” Cunningham said. “And as of now, he still holds that seat. It’s not open until he announces.”

Cunningham's state Senate district includes parts of St. Louis County, including parts of Creve Coeur.

Cunningham said it was important to send “a conservative” to Washington, D.C. She pointed to a successful ballot initiative – known as Proposition C – that passed last year aimed at combating federal health care legislation.

“And Missourians overwhelmingly said we do not want Obamacare, we do not want to be told we have to buy a product that we may not want,” said Cunningham. “I want to take that work I started that I started here to finish it in Washington, D.C.”

Cunningham could face a potentially crowded Republican primary field. Attorney Ed Martin – who narrowly lost to U.S Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis City, last year – announced his candidacy for Akin’s seat earlier this week. Former Missouri Republican Party chairwoman Ann Wagner announced an exploratory committee to run for the seat.

Cunningham said that she’s actually “walked the walked” by winning elections and seeking to implement policy in the Missouri General Assembly. Martin and Wagner have never won elective office.

“I’ve actually done it before, I’ve walked that walk,” Cunningham said. “I find that it’s easy to talk the talk. I’ve done it. A lot of my colleagues have done it. But having to walk the walk in this pressure-cooker… you have to walk the walk. And I’ve done that.”

Under a reconfigured congressional map, Carnahan If Carnahan ran in the district where he lives, he would have to face Clay in a Democratic primary.

Carnahan could potentially run for the 2nd District seat as well, as congressional candidates do not have to reside in a specific district to run there. Martin, for instance, resides in Clay’s district, though he said earlier this week he could move.