State Sen. Chuck Purgason (R) will officially launch his long-shot Senate campaign today at a kickoff event in West Plains.

The fiscal conservative announced earlier this week that he would challenge Rep. Roy Blunt (R) in the Senate primary. Purgason is trying to position himself as the conservative outsider in his race against the seven-term Congressman.

But after raising $1.4 million during the second quarter and earning endorsements from the National Republican Senatorial Committee and retiring Sen. Kit Bond (R), whose seat he is hoping to fill, Blunt appears all but certain to carry his party mantle in the general election against Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D).