Palin will campaign in Missouri for Steelman

Sarah Palin will campaign for Sarah Steelman this Friday in Missouri, hoping her status as a Tea Party darling will translate into votes for Steelman in a hotly contested Republican primary for the Senate seat.

Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and former Alaska governor, endorsed former Missouri state Treasurer Steelman earlier this month and has appeared in a pro-Steelman ad running on Missouri television. This will be her first time appearing with Steelman in person on the campaign trail.

Palin will attend a barbecue for Steelman on Friday at The Berry Patch in Cleveland, Mo., about an hour south of Kansas City.

“It's a great way to meet Gov. Palin and hear from Sarah about the key issues of the campaign,” Steelman’s campaign wrote in the invite on the candidate’s Facebook page.

Steelman is facing off against two other Republicans — businessman John Brunner and Missouri Rep. Todd Akin — in the Aug. 7 primary. Palin’s support could mean all the difference in the race by helping Steelman stand out from the other Republicans, both running as conservatives.

Palin last hit the campaign trail for Ted Cruz, who on Tuesday won the Republican primary for the Texas Senate race.

Whoever wins the GOP primary will go on to face Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in November. McCaskill was trailing all three candidates in a Mason-Dixon survey released last week. The Hill rates the Missouri Senate race as a toss-up.

---