Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill won't go to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this September, joining several other red state Democrats, Talking Points Memo's Pema Levy reports Tuesday. The decision might have been made easier by the June 13 announcement that Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS would spend $1 million for two weeks of ads attacking McCaskill for being close to Obama and voting for the 2009 stimulus. But, it's worth noting, McCaskill has not been a frequent convention-goer when up for reelection. 

Earlier Tuesday, both Montana Sen. Jon Tester and the Republican who's challenging him, Denny Rehberg, said they wouldn't go to their parties' conventions, The Hill reported. Other red-state (or red district) Democrats not going to the convention include West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Jon Tester, West Virginia Rep. Nick Rahall, Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Critz, New York Rep. Kathy Hochul, Utah Rep. Jim Matheson, and New York Rep. Bill Owens.

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Elspeth Reeve