Senate Democrats apparently won’t try to block the nomination of Democrat Kevin Gunn to the Public Service Commission.

Senators have been upset with Gunn because he was going to be their star candidate in the race to succeed Sen. Mike Gibbons, R-Kirkwood.

But Gov. Matt Blunt got Gunn to forget the race in favor of a Public Service Commission appointment, which was announced today.

“We had a great candidate,” said the Democrats’ chief recruiter, Sen. Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis. “Then we had no candidate.”

That changed this week when Democrat Steve Eagleton filed to run for Gibbons’ 15th District seat.

Says Smith: “We were able to recruit a spectacular candidate. Now I feel very good about it.”

So he’s ready to move on.

Smith dismissed talk that Senate Democrats might try to filibuster Gunn’s appointment. Smith said he understands Gunn’s reasons for accepting the $102,000-a-year state job.

“I don’t think he did it for the money,” Smith said. “He’s very interested in the public policy he could help shape in those areas.”

Smith didn’t anticipate that Democrats would try to derail a bill by Senate Majority Leader Charlie Shields that would repeal the requirement that commissioners live within 40 miles of the capital.

But Smith hopes Gunn remembers how Senate Democrats helped him raise the $164,000 remaining in his campaign treasury.

“Kevin is interested in doing anything he can to make sure we win that seat,” Smith said. “I’m hoping we can find a way for at least some of the money to benefit Steve” Eagleton, who is getting a late start on the race.

Not that name recognition will be a big problem for Eagleton, an attorney and real estate developer. He is the nephew of the late U.S. Sen. Tom Eagleton.