Former state Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R) plans a two-day, 22-stop announcement tour in the 4th district this week to formally kick off her 2010 campaign against Rep. Ike Skelton (D).

“If you want real solutions that will help bring back jobs to Missouri, heal our broken economy, limit Congress’ runaway spending, and lower taxes to jump start real economic growth, then come hear what I have to offer,— Hartzler said in a statement.

Hartzler’s tour, which includes a dozen stops Friday and 10 on Saturday, will take her to nearly all of the 25 counties that lie wholly or in part in the 4th, which takes in Jefferson City, some suburbs of Kansas City and substantial rural territory over more than 14,500 square miles.

Hartzler filed a statement of candidacy in July and reported raising $224,000 in the third quarter, including $105,000 from the candidate herself. Her chief opponent in the Republican primary next August is state Sen. Bill Stouffer, whose $203,000 in third-quarter receipts came entirely from individuals.

Skelton has not faced serious Republican opposition in most of his 16 re-election campaigns, though his 2010 race could be one of the most challenging of his career because he has well-funded opponents in a district that has a decided conservative lean.