One advantage to being a long-serving popular incumbent is that some members of the other political party probably have said nice things about you.

A case in point is Missouri Democratic Rep. Ike Skelton, who has won support from Democrats and non-Democrats alike in a 33-year House career representing a district in west-central Missouri that has a decided Republican lean.

Mindful that Skelton faces a potentially competitive challenge in 2010 from at least two Republicans, the Missouri Democratic Party last week circulated to reporters some pro-Skelton comments that Missouri Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond made last week.