But he wasn't alone as Missouri democrats rallied behind Nixon.

They presented a united front 19 hours after Blunt announced he would not run for re-election. House and Senate democrats joined Nixon and his wife at the press conference.

Nixon said he was surprised by Blunt's decision not to run, but said he does not suspect other motives for the decision other than those offered by the governor.

"It hasn't changed what the issues are in the campaign. It may provide uncertainty on the other side of the equation but our certainty is very real. We know what our issues are, we know what our candidates are and we're prepared to move forward," said Nixon.

Nixon's campaign has focused on Blunt's record in office but says the change in who he will face in November will not affect his message.

"I'm not going to run against the same person, it will be different in some ways. But I think that ultimately these elections are about what you stand for and what the philosophy and the position of your opponents are and in this situation. We've not seen any differentiation on their side and we've been united on our side,"said Jay Nixon, candidate for governor.

Nixon said while it's un-clear who he will face in November, he will continue to run his campaign as he did before Blunt's announcement.