311 DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY… 220 DAYS UNTIL THE AUGUST PRIMARY

DECEMBER RANKINGS — POLITICO’s Dave Catanese says Nixon won December, and the Senate race is a draw: 

— #MOGov: “With Peter Kinder officially out, Democrats wasted no time retraining their fire on Republican Dave Spence. Their favorite target: $40 million in bailout money his bank received through TARP that wasn’t paid back. First-term Gov. Jay Nixon has been nicked a bit in the Missouri press for his “chancy” plan to fund higher education and an economic deal gone bad, but he has benefited from the uncertainty that has consumed the state Republican Party.” http://politi.co/udGaAk

— #MOSen: “[The envioronment] favors a Republican pick-up here, but only if the party rallies around a credible candidate in time. It’s the only race in the Top Five with a competitive primary and even the political intelligentsia are scratching their heads to figure out the front-runner to take on Sen. Claire McCaskill. With a 12-year record to defend, Rep. Todd Akin would likely be the weakest potential nominee. But wealthy newcomer John Brunner has stumbled out of the gate, and Sarah Steelman’s campaign continues to be fraught with fundraising woes.” http://politi.co/vCCvB2

BRUNNER JOBS RECORD — ‘Brunner distances himself from Vi-Jon layoffs,’ PoliticMo: “Less than a month after St. Louis businessman John Brunner entered the political world as a candidate, announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, negative news about his former company, Vi-Jon, emerged in St. Louis media. ‘Senate hopeful Brunner’s company trims workforce,’ said the headline in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. … Vi-Jon, a privately held company, did not report how many jobs it trimmed. But that hasn’t stopped Missouri Democrats from using the issue repeatedly as a political attack line against first-time candidate Brunner.

“Brunner, who stepped down from his 17 year position as CEO in 2009, said in an interview with PoliticMo last week that he hasn’t been involved in the ‘day to day activities of the business’ since he left. ‘From 2009 on, I really can’t weigh in in terms of issues and decision,” said Brunner, who now serves the largely ceremonial position of chairman emeritus of Vi-Jon’s board. ‘In my 31, 32 years in business, not one hourly person ever lost an hour of work,’ he said. ‘I felt that was my responsibility to find the business, find the opportunities, bring the orders for the guys in the plant.’ … 

“The economic environment, and what Brunner sees as inaction from lawmakers, is why Brunner thinks he and other businessmen with minimal political experience are deciding to launch their own political campaigns. ‘I think its more the motivation that things are so tough, that you’ve had background experiences to go in there and with those experiences, to lend a hand and help get the ship fixed,’ he said. ‘People are hitting tipping points. It is like the old adage, ‘I’ve delegated this long enough, sometimes you’ve gotta go in there and fix it yourself.’’” http://bit.ly/uwIdw1

HAPPY FRIDAY, and welcome to this edition of PoliticMo Rundown. We’ll hit send on this, then see you next year!

POLITICO says Sen. @ClaireCMc is a top tweeter in 2011, for her tweet, “I’m tired of looking and feeling fat. Maybe talking about it publicly will keep me on track as I try to be more disciplined. Off to the gym”: “She may have felt fat when she tweeted her frustration back in May, but she doesn’t any more. The senator from Missouri lost 50 pounds with the help of Twitter, portion control, walking two miles on her treadmill every day and a personal trainer.” http://politi.co/toAqAU

GOV. JAY NIXON hits the road today, with stops in Kansas City and Springfield to announce his new director of economic development. (Current director David Kerr is stepping down at the end of the year.) 

NEW ON MEC — $290,000 for Brad Lager’s Lt. Gov. campaign.

BLUNT TRIP — Sen. Roy Blunt made stops in Joplin and Springfield yesterday to meet with business leaders. 

— In Joplin, ‘Blunt: 2012 another ‘generational’ decision,’ PoliticMo: “Speaking to Joplin business leaders, [Sen. Roy] Blunt…  said next year’s major election will be a defining moment in the debate over the size of federal government. ‘Different views for the future of the country are as clear as they’ve been,” he said, defining the debate as ‘do we what to be western Europe or do we not want to be western Europe.’ Blunt’s rhetoric mirrored rhetoric he used in his successful 2010 campaign, where he declared the fight for control of the congress a whether the ‘people are bigger than the government.’ ‘I think that the debate that started in 2010 is going to end in 2012,’ he said, in an interview with PoliticMo. ’This is essentially a three year debate about who we’re going to be.’ Blunt thinks some dysfunction in government currently, where the Republican controlled House of Representatives and Democratically controlled Senate and White House seem unable to reach agreement on major issues, may be attributable to the debate.” http://bit.ly/vRkBwJ

— In Springfield, ‘Blunt says pipeline is key to better economy,’ News-Leader: “The showdown over extending the payroll tax cut highlighted the growing dysfunction in Congress, even if the bill signed by President Obama afforded Republicans a small victory, said U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., during a stop in Springfield on Thursday. Obama signed a bill Dec. 23 extending the cut for two months, despite earlier opposition from House Republicans. But the bill also included a provision ordering Obama to grant a permit to the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, an issue frequently brought up by Republicans both in Washington and on the campaign trail. Blunt said the pipeline is a key to helping the economic recovery. … Blunt and other pipeline supporters say the project would create up to 20,000 jobs from construction and other related projects and help reduce energy prices domestically. Obama has 60 days to decide whether to approve the permit or kill it.” http://sgfnow.co/vsQeMb 

ST. LOUIS JOBS ? —  ‘St. Louis to benefit from $30 billion U.S., Saudi deal,’ PoliticMo: “The Obama administration signed on to a deal to sell F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, an agreement that could provide a major boost to the St. Louis region. The $29.4 billion deal includes production of 84 new aircraft, which are manufactured by Boeing at a facility near St. Louis. The agreement with Saudi Arabia, a key Arab ally, was approved by Congress last year.

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affaris, said he pushed for the deal in the congress, and lauded today’s movement as beneficial for national security and the regional economy. ‘[T]his deal will ensure years of new fighter production at Boeing, keeping hundreds of middle-class manufacturing jobs in St. Louis,’ he said. ‘We should take pride in yet another success that shows when we all work together, St. Louis can compete and win.’” http://bit.ly/uRjKV1

— St. Louis Becaon: “U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, may be offering more hints about his 2012 election plans by being the first Missouri member of Congress to laud the news that the United States is ‘finalizing a sale of 84 new F-15 fighter planes to Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally in the Middle East.’ The F-15 is built by Boeing Co. at its aircraft manufacturing plant in St. Louis. … That plant, by the way, is in the 1st Congressional District, now represented by U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis. Boeing’s operations remain in the 1st after redistricting takes effect with the 2012 election.” http://bit.ly/vx4jh3

REDISTRICTING FALLOUT — ‘Nasheed, Oxford considering whether to challenge Jones for state Senate,’ St. Louis Beacon: “State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, plans to announce next Tuesday what office she plans to seek in 2012. Will she seek re-election? Or will she make a bid for the 5th District state Senate seat, possibly challenging fellow Democrat who is the incumbent, Sen. Robin Wright Jones? The political bets have Nasheed making the Senate plunge because: [1] Jones has run into campaign-finance troubles; [2] Redistricting tossed Nasheed into the same House district with two other legislators, fellow Democrats Chris Carter and Karla May.” http://bit.ly/u1fUgT

FLOODING RECOVERY — ‘Corps: Birds Point “No. 1 priority” with new funds,’ Scott Moyers: “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is getting $800 million in federal disaster relief funds to make repairs along the flood-ravaged Mississippi River, corps officials announced Thursday. And the corps called fixing the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway the top priority with those dollars. … The funding is part of an overall $1.7 billion included in the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act signed by President Barack Obama two days before Christmas. The Mississippi Valley Division will receive $802 million to repair damages incurred during what the corps calls the Great Flood of 2011, the largest recorded flood in the river’s history.” http://bit.ly/uDsFUs

TOP STORIES — Jake Wagman highlights “Eleven in ’11” top political stories in St. Louis: “[1] Roy Blunt rolls. Missouri’s new junior U.S. Senator ended 2010 by trouncing Democrat Robin Carnahan to replace Kit Bond in Washington. How’s it going in his first year? Just fine, thank you. … [2] Charlie Dooley dukes it out. St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley survived a strong challenge from Republican Bill Corrigan to win a fresh term in Clayton. But, now that he’s extended his lease, he’s finding opposition from his own party …

“[3] Other government leaders have been criticized for lounging in sunny vacation locales when natural disasters befell their constituents. But Gov. Jay Nixon was immediately on hand when a devastating tornado hit Joplin in May, and has maintained a steady presence as the ravaged city rebuilds. It would be overly cynical and inaccurate to describe Nixon’s attention as purely political; but it would also be naive to say that the governor is not aware of how fumbling disaster response could hurt his fortunes at the ballot box. … [4] Before there was Dave Spence, there was John Brunner…. Brunner’s campaign is not off to a sizzling start…  But Brunner’s candidacy has the potential to alter the template for running for statewide office in Missouri, which has typically included having the right last name, being a current or former official, or a combination of the two. …

“[5] Redbird fever… [6] By one estimate, free market evangelist Rex Sinquefield’s political spending in Missouri reached $17 million this year. … [7] St. Louis put on a full-court press to land the 2012 Democratic National Convention. By most accounts, they were the runner-up to Charlotte, which profited from a New South appeal and better political positioning. … [8] China hubbub… [9] [C]onsequences of the decennial redistricting marathon are still unfolding. State legislators are scrambling to figure out where the new map leaves them. … 

“[10] Claire McCaskill was emerging as the populist Sheriff of the Senate Floor before she acknowledged she failed to pay a $320,000 tax bill on her private airplane. The controversy stung McCaskill unlike any other in her political career, which has been built on a folksy appeal and an almost religious disdain for taxpayer abuse. McCaskill has showed signs of personal and political resilience — she’s lost fifty pounds while building a robust re-election fund — but the real test will come at the ballot box in November 2012. …

“[11] Look no further than Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder for the top Missouri political story of 2011. The Republican’s presumptive nominee for governor had the wind at his back to start the year: a strong Republican showing in the 2010 midterm election foretold good things for his chances against Gov. Jay Nixon. But first came the revelations that Kinder, who once ran on the slogan “Every Dollar Counts,” charged taxpayers for hundreds of nights at St. Louis area hotels… After Kinder repaid the state $54,000 for his travel costs, he was forced to answer questions about his previous affinity for visiting a Sauget strip club. Kinder pulled the plug on his aspirations for governor days before a planned announcement … [F]or Kinder, it wasn’t a very good year.” http://bit.ly/ufL7s5