MO-Sen: Kit Bond out in 2010.

It wasn't all that long ago that the conventional wisdom had Democrats having to fight hard to hold their gains in 2010, but if Republicans keep retiring at the rate they've been at since November, the GOP is going to end up scrambling for a lot of open seats that used to have (R) next to the name.  The latest GOP Senator to pull his hat from the ring is Kit Bond.

High-ranking Missouri Republicans say Sen. Kit Bond plans to announce this morning that he will not seek re-election in 2010.

Podiums everywhere will feel safer, knowing that they're not going to be subject to Bond's red-faced pounding.  And the auto industry should automatically recover some viability, considering that they're no longer going to be "protected" by the guy who referred to fuel-efficient vehicles as "clown cars."

Now the question is: who will be fighting for that spot in 2010?

On the Democratic side, Robin Carnahan was far and away the leading candidate. Her upcoming duel with Bond had been anticipated and talked about even before she settled into her current spot as Missouri Secretary of State. The change of ticket on the GOP side could open up other possibilities, but Robin -- generally considered the most effective of the political Carnahan clan -- certainly has the inside track.

But what about the GOP side of the aisle? 9th District Congressman Kenny Hulshof was crushed by Jay Nixon in the gubernatorial race, but he spent a lot of time and money establishing state wide name recognition that could give him a boost. GOP supporters kept Jim Talent on ice long enough to pull him back for his first Senate run, and he is still much believed in conservative think tank land. There's a chance he could be thawed out again for a repeat. 6th District Congressman Sam Graves is a possibility.  So is State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, who already had feelers out for a run against Claire McCaskill in 2012.  Steeleman lost to Husholf in the primary for the governor's race, but Husholf didn't look very good through the general, and ran an ineffective campaign. Steeleman might well win a rematch.

And of course there's "I've done all I set out to do in one term" retiring Gov. Matt Blunt, who is fleeing Jefferson City in hopes that there will be less effort to unearth whatever skeleton he is hiding (and rumor has it this one is T-Rex sized) if he's out of office. Having succeeded in burning enough email to disguise his actions, might he be tempted to jump back in the fray? He's certainly made noises about a possible future run -- despite approval ratings in the W territory.

With any luck, all of them will run.

Update [2009-1-8 12:0:57 by Devilstower]: Bond has delivered his retirement speech, and another candidate was in the stands.

U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, former speaker of the Missouri House, was on hand for the announcement. The Republican was the keynote speaker at the governor's prayer breakfast in Jefferson City today.

More discussion in kann's diary on this topic.