When is it too early to get fired up about a congressional race? Never. That's the answer if you’re addicted to the sweet, sweet nectar that is Missouri politics.Still, “early” was admittedly the first word that came to mind with debate season starting up between GOP congressional aspirants Ed Martin and Ann Wagner. The two are running for the Republican nomination in the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County.For what it’s worth, filing for the race doesn’t begin until early next year. And the primary itself isn’t until August …

Missouri’s highest-ranking elected Republican threw his support this week behind Mitt Romney’s presidential bid. Romney’s campaign announced Tuesday that Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) would be leading an effort to get more congressional lawmakers to endorse the former Massachusetts governor. A press release from Romney’s campaign stated that Blunt will be “spearheading the campaign’s effort to secure the support of Republican members in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.” Blunt played a similar role during the 2000 election for then Texas Gov. George W. Bush when he was a …

Editor's Note: This week, Chesterfield Patch debuts our Political Junkie column about electoral politics. We'll put the big stories in perspective and offer up some nuggets about what's coming down the pike.  One of the more important developments in Missouri’s 2012 election cycle occurred this week through inaction. Commissions tasked with drawing new state legislative districts had to officially give up to propel the process to the courts. But a lack of progress on the issue ensures that Missouri’s state House and Senate seats will be drawn by a panel of judges, as opposed to a commission …