JEFFERSON CITY - Beginning this Friday, the Kerry-Edwards campaign will run ads in
their top seven targeted states, a group that no longer includes Missouri.
After months of targeting Missouri as one of their top three states, the
Kerry-Edwards campaign has downgraded Missouri, moving it to second tier
status in their latest round of ad buys.

The
Kerry-Edwards campaign slashed their ad buys in Missouri prior to the
Democratic National Convention and CBS News recently quoted a senior advisor
to the Kerry campaign as saying of Missouri: "Our
numbers have been slipping there. Whether or not we can be turned around or
not we’re trying to figure out."

"The Kerry-Edwards campaign is beginning to realize
what we have always known: Missouri is Bush Country," said Missouri
Republican Party Chairman Ann Wagner. "Senator
Kerry’s voting record as the most liberal member of the United States Senate
runs in direct opposition to Missouri voters and Missouri values alike, and
it’s no surprise that they’re finding that the Senator’s brand of
Northeastern politics doesn’t sell in the Heartland."