Matt Blunt: From A Missouri Governor's Mansion to Middleburg

Matt Blunt: From A Missouri Governor's Mansion to Middleburg

Photos by Doug Gehlsen/Middleburg Photo

By Leonard Shapiro

Matt Blunt’s father and grandfather had always been involved in state and local politics in Missouri, so it seemed only natural that after spending ten years as a Naval officer, he would go on to become, at age 33, the state’s second youngest governor in history.

Matt Blunt

“I was always very aware of the process,” Matt said. “And I’m sure much more interested in politics and government than the average young person.”

He remains very much interested, but from afar. Matt chose not to run for a second term in 2008, having devoted so many years of his life to military and public service. These days, he and his wife, Melanie, and their two sons, William and Brooks, are loving life on their farm in the Middleburg area.

A Naval Academy graduate, he always had a passion for history, and particularly military history. He began considering seeking elected office toward the end of his Navy career.

A Republican, he won a seat in the Missouri General Assembly in 1998, then was elected Missouri Secretary of State in 2000. Four years later, he defeated Democrat Claire McCaskill in a close race for governor.

Politics surely is in the genes. Matt’s father, Roy Blunt, has held a number of political offices, and, since 2011, he’s served in the U.S. Senate, recently announcing his retirement at the end of his current term.

“It was a tremendous privilege to serve as governor of Missouri,” Matt said. When asked what he considered his major accomplishments as governor, he added, “probably the most long-lasting and impactful accomplishments were structurally addressing long-standing budget issues and substantially increasing education funding at all levels of education without raising taxes.” And why only one term? “First, with the exception of expanding parental choice in education, I had achieved all the objectives I outlined when I was a candidate. Second, after more than 15 years of either military or public service, it made sense to think about my family’s financial well-being. Third, our first son was born while I was governor and I wanted to spend more time with my family. Work demands always exist, but I’ve been able to spend far more time with my boys than I would have if I had remained in public office.”

Matt met Melanie, a Middleburg native, in Richmond where she was living at the time and his ship was docked in Norfolk for repairs. They were married in Middleburg a year later.

These days, he’s president of the American Automotive Policy Council representing the interests of Ford, General Motors, and Fiat/Chrysler.

“Automobiles are one of the most traded products in the world so we primarily work on foreign trade issues that affect the automotive industry,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands of American automotive jobs depend upon the ability to export product to other markets.” Back home, there’s also plenty to do around the farm. “We raise cattle, which I grew up with, and sheep, which I’ve had to learn a lot about…Working on the farm myself is definitely one of my favorite activities. You can see the result of your labor in a way you cannot replicate in an office.”And running for office again? “You never say never,” Matt said, “but I have no plans to run for office, and definitely not in the near future.” Bad news for Missouri. Great news for the Blunts’ legion of friends and family in the Virginia countryside.

Brooks Blunt is a sixth grader at The Hill School and definitely a lacrosse enthusiast.