He had been considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO). Now Thomas Schweich is announcing he is a Republican candidate for State Auditor in 2012.
Schweich, a former special U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and a protege of former U.S. Senator and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Danforth, will travel the state this week to make official his candidacy.
The first stop comes Tuesday in St. Louis, followed by announcements later that day in Columbia, Kansas City, and Springfield. Schweich will make swings through Hannibal, Kirksville, St. Joseph, Joplin, and Cape Girardeau on Wednesday.
Schweich, who attended Yale and Harvard Law Schools, is a member of the faculty of Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. He has never run for public office. He becomes the second announced Republican in the race for State Auditor. House Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet (R-Wildwood) prevously announced his candidacy for the office.