By Tony Messenger

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Tuesday, Jul. 07 2009

JEFFERSON CITY — Thomas Schweich got out of one race to avoid a primary, but it looks like the political neophyte will have to do battle with another
Republican anyway.

Schweich, a Washington University law professor and former ambassador under
President George W. Bush, plans to announce his candidacy for state auditor at
a news conference in St. Louis today.

He'll face state Rep. Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, for the right to run against
Democrat incumbent Auditor Susan Montee.

Ever since he decided not to run against Republican Congressman Roy Blunt for
the GOP slot in the 2010 U.S. Senate race, Schweich has been gathering campaign
support for a run for auditor, he said Monday.

"My résumé matches up really well with auditor," Schweich said.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder forwarded a letter from Schweich to key
Republican supporters outlining why Schweich thought he'd be a good candidate
for auditor. He points to his legal background and federal work in the State
Department that included prosecution and auditing.

Schweich, 49, a native of Clayton, is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard
Law School. He and his wife, Kathy, have two children.

Schweich said he would make his candidacy official today in a fly-around that
starts in St. Louis and hits several cities in Missouri over two days. It's
Schweich's second such tour in a short period. In May, he and former Sen. John
C. Danforth traveled the state seeking support for a Senate challenge against
Blunt.

Schweich said he received a lot of positive feedback during that jaunt, though
he ultimately decided against what could have been a divisive primary.

Now, to face Montee in 2010, Schweich will have to get past Icet, who has led
the Missouri House's budget process for the past two years. Icet beat Schweich
to the punch in throwing his hat in the ring for auditor.

"I had hoped to avoid a primary and thought that the theme of party unity would
continue," Icet said. "Unfortunately, that's not the case."

As Schweich planned his official fly-around, Icet already was working to steal
some of his new rival's thunder. Icet said that today he would release a list
of about 80 House members endorsing his campaign for auditor.