Former Missouri Senator and current U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft warns against reading too much into his November election loss. Ashcroft lost his re-election bid to the late Mel Carnahan. He has secured his new job, winning confirmation as U.S. Attorney General. Ashcroft denies November dealt a crippling blow to the Missouri Republican Party. He believes Missouri Republicans can increase their Congressional majority status. He indicates the seat now held by Democrat Ike Skelton in West-Central Missouri would become a Republican seat when Skelton decides to retire.