JEFFERSON CITY — Congressman Roy Blunt wants to make sure he controls the news cycle this quarter.

The Republican from Springfield who is running for U.S. Senate in 2010 took a first quarter beating in the political press in Washington, D.C., and Missouri after Democratic opponent Robin Carnahan doubled him up in fund-raising.

This time, Blunt is touting his success before the dollars have all been counted. Spokesman Rich Chrismer sent a news release today saying that Blunt raised more than $1 million this quarter, which would be about twice what he raised during the campaign’s first three months.

In the release, Blunt continued to tout his big-name endorsers, from outgoing Sen. Kit Bond, to John Ashcroft, Peter Kinder, Jim Talent, Jack Danforth and Jo Ann Emerson.

At the same time, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, is noting the same names, but as a criticism of Blunt’s ties to the Washington, D.C., establishment. The DSCC, which has been ramping up its criticism of Blunt, is picking up on a line Sarah Steelman used in criticizing Blunt, calling him “another white guy in a suit.”

At the time, Steelman was considering a primary challenge to Blunt in the Senate race.

The web site asks folks to sign up to receive e-mails from the DSCC, and then they can print out “baseball cards” of the “suits” who support Blunt. In response to the site, Lloyd Smith, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, said: “Robin Carnahan and the national Democrats want to talk about clothes when our country is facing very serious challenges like a weak economy and the Carnahan-backed national energy tax.”