so why did Talent lose? was he a RINO? that's the typical FR excuse.
Don't know. I'm not from MO. Ask Judith Anne. Or ask me about Colorado races, but not about MO races.
That being said, I can take a few educated guesses....
How about the fact that he never even served a full Senate term? He squeaked by Carnahan's wife to fill out the rest of the term she started to fill out for her late husband. The fact that he only managed to defeat by a narrow margin such an incompetent politician as herself does not speak volumes for his own viability as a politician.
Also, I thought he was hammered really really hard with allegations of corruption via "guilt by association" with the dreaded Delay Boogeyman. Of course, all GOP incumbents were hit with this bogus "culture of corruption" charge last year, but I was under the impression Talent was hit harder than most. But once again, I'm not from MO, so maybe some MO Freeper can comment (though my Dad is a St Louie native, and I have a lot of relatives in StL and Springfield still.)