His candidacy was announced Tuesday morning.

Hulshof is the third Republican to announce a run for governor after Governor Matt Blunt said he would not seek re-election. State Treasurer Sarah Steelman and Lt. Governor Peter Kinder also announced their candidacy last week. Attorney General Jay Nixon so far is the only Democrat in the race, though a spokesman for Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has said she is thinking about it.

Hulshof is currently the U.S. Representative in Missouri's Ninth District. To run for governor, Hulshof will have to forgo a re-election bid for his congressional seat. He considered running for governor in 2004, but withdrew in favor of Blunt.