Missouri Republicans eying Senate bids to hold fundraisers at Mar-a-Lago

Two Missouri Republicans who are potentially looking to take the place of retiring Sen. Roy Blunt (R) are headed to Florida for fundraisers at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

A fundraiser invitation posted on Twitter by a reporter for The New York Times indicated that Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) would host a fundraiser at the club on April 28. The invitation touts Long’s work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee as well as his support for “life, liberty, freedom and individual rights.”

For Missouri Senate watchers — ⁦@auctnr1⁩ to Trumpland > pic.twitter.com/ITnbsthUGI

— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) April 19, 2021

A second Republican Missouri congressman, Jason Smith, is set to host a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago on April 30, according to the Springfield News-Leader. Smith will be joined at the event by a number of high-profile allies including the state’s governor, Mike Parson (R), as well as South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

Both Smith and Long are considered probable contenders to replace Blunt when he retires after next year; neither has announced officially, though both have openly stated they are considering the possibility and are seeking potential endorsements.

“I’ll have a few minutes to remind him of all the times we worked together over the years and all the times on Air Force One and all the times I helped him and … supported him every step of the way,” Long said of his upcoming meeting with Trump, which he said was at the former president’s request.

Their apparent contention for the former president’s endorsement comes as the Senate race was upended by the addition of former Gov. Eric Greitens (R) to the field late last month, which has raised fears about whether the GOP can hold on to Blunt’s seat should Greitens, who resigned amid allegations that he blackmailed a hairdresser with nude photos, win the Republican nomination.

Greitens faced federal charges over the allegations that were later dropped and has denied blackmailing the hairdresser while admitting to having an affair a year before he was elected governor.