Missouri U.S. Senate hopeful Roy Blunt today touted new support from Mike Ferguson, a leading Libertarian and member of the Grandview Board of Aldermen.

Ferguson, the Libertarian lieutenant governor candidate in 2004, said he was switching parties to back Blunt.

"My principles and beliefs have not changed," Ferguson said in a statement via the Blunt campaign. "I am for cutting unneeded government spending. I am a fiscal conservative who believes that government should stay out of the private sector as much as possible. I am pro-life.

"I am a believer in the common-sense truth that protecting personal freedom should be the goal of government at all levels. This is also why I am supporting Roy Blunt for the United States Senate.

"Roy believes in conservative principles and am looking forward to helping him win this campaign."

The announcement comes one day after conservative state Sen. Chuck Purgason said he was running in the GOP primary for Senate, too. One of Purgason's chief arguments is that Blunt hasn't been conservative enough in his leadership roles in the U.S. House.