State Auditor Tom Schweich will not seek election to the U.S. Senate … at least not this year.
He was elected to his first political office only 14 months ago. Before that, he served as a lawyer, ambassador and cheif of staff for former Senator Danforth after the Branch Davidian seige. (See bio here.)
He says when he was elected as State Auditor, he made a promise to serve his term and said he would not leave the office early to run against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill.
“I think it’s best to keep that promise,” he says.
He also says he doesn’t feel joining an already crowded primary would strengthen the GOP’s position on defeating her.
Schweich says he doesn’t yet know what the future might bring or what he’ll look forward to in the 2014 election cycle, when his term is up.
“I get a lot of satisfaction out the job of being a state auditor,” he says, ” just as I did being a federal pros, just as I did being a diplomat. Right now I’m pleased with what I’m doing, but I don’t know what the future might bring.”
Schweich was asked by Danforth and other key republican leaders to run for McCaskill’s seat. It’s an offer that … at least for now … he’s said no to.
AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports (1:07)
