Aspiring politicians run aplenty in St. Joseph this summer, with three Missouri House seats open for the taking.

The 2010 elections for the 28th and 27th House District seats should come as no surprise, as both Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, and Rep. Ed Wildberger, D-St. Joseph, will reach their term limits next year. And a handful of candidates have surfaced for the races.

But recent news from Rep. Martin Rucker, D-St. Joseph, opens up his 29th House District seat, as well. Mr. Rucker last week divulged intentions to run for the 34th Senatorial District seat, which Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, will vacate in 2010. Rep. Ed Wildberger, D-St. Joseph, who also had been mulling the Senate bid, stepped back last week and said he instead would pursue a county office.

The July announcements have prompted a couple more Buchanan County residents to ponder a life in the Legislature. At least that’s the case with local Democrats.

The only sure candidate on the GOP side is Northwest Missouri Republican Club President Mik Chester, who already is campaigning for Dr. Schaaf’s seat.

Longtime Buchanan County Republican Ken Beck said there haven’t been any strong discussions within the local party on who to put forth for the other two House races because it’s still early in the campaign cycle.

“There will be some soul-searching going on,” Mr. Beck said.

The Democratic challenge for Dr. Schaaf’s seat is solidifying, though, from a familiar face.

Democrat Mark Sheehan, who unsuccessfully sought to defeat Dr. Schaaf in 2008, said Wednesday he intended to run again next year.

“My intent is to run because I can do a good job for the 28th,” said Mr. Sheehan, former News-Press opinion page editor. “It desperately needs someone who can pull the Andrew Countians and Buchanan Countians back together again.”

The August primaries may be a year away, but Buchanan County Democratic Club President Pat Squires said it’s important to think early.

“We would like to get one of the houses back,” Mr. Squires said. “The state party will be looking for who is the strongest candidate. They have not been aggressive in looking at the 29th because Martin wasn’t term-limited.”

Mr. Squires himself said he may attempt to fill Mr. Wildberger’s 27th District seat in the House, but not if Buchanan County Clerk Pat Conway decides to run.

“If Pat (Conway) runs, I certainly would support him,” Mr. Squires said.

Mr. Conway said he’s eyed the seat for years, but likely won’t make a decision until November, which contributes to the domino effect of local politics. Mr. Wildberger coincidentally is looking to run for the county clerk post if Mr. Conway goes after the Statehouse.

St. Joseph City Councilman Roger Baker said Wednesday he also was interested in the 27th House District and he soon would make a decision on whether to run in a Democratic primary.

Another Democratic councilman also had looked forward to running for Mr. Rucker’s seat — eventually.

“I had planned on succeeding Martin Rucker, but that was in 2012,” said Mike Bozarth, who plans on running for re-election to his council seat early in 2010. “But the 2010 (state) election poses some problems. I’d have to choose between City Council and state representative.”

He said he’s still considering it, but the “odds are against it” now that a different Democrat and friend, Bill Caldwell, is looking into the race.

Mr. Caldwell, a union Democrat and chairman of the Buchanan County Democratic Central Committee, said he soon would retire from American Airlines and was thinking about a bid for the 29th House District.

Regardless, he said he thinks there are many more names to come.

“I’d imagine that a lot more people would run in that race,” Mr. Caldwell said.

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached at alysonraletz@npgco.com.