Blunt

Last week, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill quickly shot down rumors that she was being considered to take the helm of the Democratic National Committee after her work as one of Barack Obama’s most reliable surrogates.

Now, the rumor mill turns for Republican Gov. Matt Blunt, who will be out of a job come January.

From a story in The Hill newspaper in Washington, which details Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan’s push to keep his job:

GOPers inside the Beltway and around the country discussed a list of about 20 high-profile or rising-star Republicans being circulated by Duncan opponents who want a bigger name at the RNC.

The list contained such GOP luminaries as former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, although Romney is not interested in the post, a key GOP insider said.

Steele — the GOPAC chairman who brought the phrase “dril, baby, drill!” into the 2008 campaign lexicon — seems like a viable choice.

But considering that Blunt often pined for his home in Springfield while in Jefferson City, it seems unlikely that he would take a job that could take him away from his family even more than being governor.

Although, if Blunt were interested in taking a bigger role in the GOP, getting photographed next to Sarah Palin is not a bad place to start.

UPDATE:

Missouri GOP spokeswoman Tina Hervey said this afternoon, “Blunt is honored to be thought of as a rising star in the party and capable of leading the party forward.”