ST. LOUIS — There will be no serious Republican primary in the race for U.S. Senate in Missouri — not in the eyes of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, at least.

The committee today announced its support for Congressman Roy Blunt, the 7th District representative from Springfield who will likely face Democrat Robin Carnahan in the 2010 Senate race.

Blunt has been working hard to clear the Republican primary field so he can concentrate on Carnahan, but he’s had a few speedbumps — Sarah Steelman, Thomas Schweich, and Chuck Purgason. Of those three, Purgason is believed to be the only one seriously considering a challenge to Blunt, but the NRSC isn’t going to wait for the state senator from Caulfield to announce his intentions.

“Throughout his tenure in Congress and during the early days of this campaign, Congressman Roy Blunt has demonstrated that he understands the difficult issues facing the people of Missouri,” said U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman, in a news release sent out by Blunt spokesman Rich Chrismer.

The support of the NRSC will be a boost to Blunt’s fund-raising as it will signal to national Republicans that they won’t be spending money that will be wasted in a divisive primary. While Purgason may still run, he’s unlikely to raise the sort of money that either Steelman or Schweich could have collected.