At least one candidate has filed to replace Speaker of the House Ron Richard.

Shelly Dreyer, an attorney with the Ed Hershewe firm, has announced that she is running for the Missouri House in 2010. She stopped by the Globe today and talked about issues, her background and why she wants to run for the House.

Dreyer, 39, said she is running as a Republican on family values, and plans to focus on the economy, job creation and health care. After growing up in Springfield, she earned her law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. In St. Louis, she started her legal career working for the insurance industry, then switched to representing individual plaintiffs.

She said her experience as a lawyer will help her serve the people of the 129th District.

"There needs to be an assortment of different professions in Jefferson City," Dreyer said. "I have experience in reading laws and understanding the state constitution, so I can get things done effectively."

She may have competition. I've heard from several sources that talk-radio personality Mark Kinsley is a shoe-in for the race. But he said today that he is standing by what he said two months ago.

Richard, along with Reps. Ed Emery, Marilyn Ruestman, Bryan Stevenson and Kevin Wilson are serving their last term in the House, according to Missouri's term-limits law. Other candidates running to replace them include:

• Business owner Charles Davis, who is running for the Dist. 128 seat (Stevenson).
• Dairy farmer Bill Rieboldt and retired teacher Lynn Otey, who are both running for the Dist. 130 seat (Wilson).

I'll have more from each of those candidates over and after the Independence Day holiday.

A Missouri Senator says the U.S. Senate is closer to embracing electronic disclosure.

According to a report from Politico, Sen. Claire McCaskill said there is a "decent" chance that the Senate will require that its members disclose office expenses for public viewing on the Internet. The buzz is happening a few weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., mandated a similar move.

The transition to the electronic age has been characteristic of the Senate: Slow and plodding. But the fact that Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is taking an informal count is an encouraging sign that it will happen, according to the report.

After gaining a possible competitor, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt has picked up three endorsements in his bid for the Senate in 2010.

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and former Sen. Jim Talent endorsed Blunt last week. The latest endorsement comes from former Attorney General John Ashcroft, who made stops in Joplin and Springfield today.

During the stop at Candlewood Suites in Joplin, Ashcroft said he has known Blunt for 37 years. Blunt's willingness to take on a leadership role is needed now in Washington, Ashcroft said.

About 40 supporters turned out for the event and heard Blunt talk about energy policy and health care.

A state senator has decided to enter the conversation about the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield, announced yesterday that he was starting an exploratory committee regarding the seat being vacated by Sen. Christopher Bond. He is in the middle of his second term on the Missouri Senate.

Citing dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama, the central-Missouri lawmaker wants to fight for values of small government and more freedoms, according to a press release. He has started a campaign Web site: www.keepyourchange2010.org.

If he decides to run, he will run against U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt and maybe former treasurer Sarah Steelman in the primary. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is the only Democrat who has announced a run for the seat.

Apologies for the paucity of posts lately. The only reason I'm happy about writing that: I love the word paucity. ANYWAY... I've been covering a lot of other shifts lately, with the fun of summer-vacation season hitting the newsroom. So here's some of the more interesting political tidbits that have been floating around the region:

• The Kansas City Star writes how it's an amazing coincidence that House Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, landed a role as chairman of a newly-created committee on the same day that he announced a run for state auditor in 2010. The new committee, created by Speaker of the House Ron Richard, will study how the state will use stimulus funds. A spokesperson for House Republicans said there was "absolutely no correlation" between the two.

I can see both sides. Icet is the House's version of Sen. Gary Nodler — he's the most informed Representative about the state budget, and therefore one of the most qualified for that post. But it is also tremendous political opportunity for Icet, who is campaigning for a post that is incredibly congruent with the committee's mission. That congruency smells a lot like politics.

• Former Treasurer Sarah Steelman continues to campaign against U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, although she hasn't officially announced a race for anything. She wrote a response on Twitter to Sen. John Danforth's recent endorsement of Blunt: "Danforth says we need fresh face in DC then turns around and endorses Blunt...Funny the way it is......"

And speaking of "funny the way it is," Steelman may seek to replace Blunt instead of run against him. The Hill reports that she is considering a run for U.S. Representative, Dist. 7 — the seat that Blunt is vacating to run for U.S. Senate.

• A Steelman entry into the race for Congress wouldn't take away from the fact that the potential race between Sens. Gary Nodler and Jack Goodman is the most intriguing matchup. Goodman a few weeks ago announced a lineup of endorsements that includes some of our state legislators.

Lobbyist expenditure reports for the month of April were posted on the Missouri Ethics Commission's Web site last week. The heavy lifting — well, almost all of the lifting, truth be told — behind investigating these reports was done by newsroom intern Laura Dimmit, a student at Missouri State University. She rocks.

Here's the breakdown of what our area legislators received:

• Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, received $45.10 from lobbyists, including a $21 meal on April 27 from John R. Sondag, representing AT&T.

• Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, received $45.65 from lobbyists, including a $25.85 meal from Arthur P. Martinez representing CenturyTel, on April 6.

Goodman also received a $9.25 meal from Trey Davis, representing the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Davis bought $9.25 meals for Patrick Morrow and Tucker Jobes, two of Goodman's staff members. An additional $42.20 was spent in miscellaneous categories on Morrow, Jobes, staff member Kailey Honeycutt and Goodman's wife, Laura Goodman.

• Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, received an $11.38 meal on April 30 from Kathryn Ann Harness, representing Metro, the St. Louis-region's subway and bus system.

• Speaker of the House Ron Richard, R-Joplin, received $256.90 from lobbyists, including $55.97 in meals from Gary L. Burton, on behalf of the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents.

Richard also received a $48.71 meal on April 23 from Rodney Boyd, representing Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal, and $54.50 in meals from David C. Nichols, of AT&T.

• Rep. Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, received $83.11 from lobbyists, including a $51.01 meal on April 27 from Missouri Southern State University lobbyist Kyna Iman.

• Rep. Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, received $186.13 from lobbyists, including a $62.95 meal from James Harris, on behalf of the group Missourians for Open and Accountable Judicial Selection.

Stevenson also received $91.98 in meals from Burton, representing the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents.

• Rep. Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, received $156.29 worth of gifts from lobbyists, including a $60.00 district map from Martin C. Oetting on behalf of MU. He also received a $41.34 meal on April 8 from Randy J. Scherr representing the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers.

• Rep. Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, received $71.65 in meals from lobbyists, including $64.65 in meals on April 27 from Burton. $40.18 of that expenditure was from the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents, the other $24.47 was from the Missouri Council of School Administrators.

We doubt that there was any real mystery about whether Sen. Gary Nodler was running for Congress — especially since the cat slipped out of the bag last week.

Nodler himself has confirmed it: He is running for U.S. Representative, 7th Dist. He just finished speaking in Springfield, and is headed to Joplin for a similar announcement at 2:30 p.m. today at Granny Shaffer's on North Range Line (a half hour later than what Nodler said last week). KYTV's David Catanese posted updates on his Twitter account through the whole thing; you can read them here.

I'll be at the 2:30 event at Granny Shaffer's; I'll have a story in tomorrow's paper, and I'll post more thoughts here. Probably won't Twitter, though. Funny story behind THAT.

An e-mail from a local chamber of commerce announcing Sen. Gary Nodler's intent to run for Congress was a "misunderstanding," according to its director.

Dixie Meredith, executive director of the Webb City Chamber of Commerce, said that last week's e-mail was presumptive, and cannot speak for Nodler's intents. The e-mail contained the subject line, "Nodler Announces!" and stated that he would officially enter the race for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt.

"It was truly a misunderstanding," Meredith said. "No one at the chamber can say whether he is running."

Official announcements are expected today for a press conference where Nodler will make an announcement about the U.S. Representative Dist. 7 seat. Nodler confirmed last week that a press conference would be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Granny Shaffer's on North Range Line Road.

Is Sen. Gary Nodler running for Congress? The Webb City Chamber says yes, but Nodler is not ready to confirm that yet.

According to an e-mail from the Webb City Chamber of Commerce, Nodler will announce his candidacy for U.S. Representative, 7th District, at 2 p.m. Thursday at Continental Catering in Webb City. The subject line of the e-mail states, "Nodler Announces!"

When asked about the event, however, Nodler said that he had not had any conversation with chamber officials. He wouldn't confirm that he was throwing his hat in the ring.

"I will end speculation about whether I will run during that event," Nodler said.

Nodler did confirm that an event would be held at that time and place. He said he will make announcements to the press on Tuesday about the event and a similar event in Springfield.

Attempts to reach chamber officials were unsuccessful.

If Nodler announces, he will join a race that includes Republicans Mo. Sen. Jack Goodman, auctioneer Billy Long and Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore.

A Joplin on-air personality who talks about politics is considering whether to dive into them.

Mark Kinsley, host of "Morning Newswatch" on KZRG-AM, is mulling a run for state representative. Though he has not made an official announcement, he said he is "making the rounds" and gauging whether to run for the Dist. 129 seat in 2010. That seat is currently held by Speaker of the House Ron Richard, who term-limits out next election.

"This wasn't something I planned on getting into at all," Kinsley said. "But once I started doing this talk radio show and paying attention to the issues, I realized that's where my passion is."

He said when his decision is final, he will make an announcement, which could come before the end of summer.