Rematch for Ed Martin and Russ Carnahan?

Carnahan v. Martin: Once more with feeling?

​Ed Martin announced today that he's running for Congress in Missouri's newly reconfigured 2nd Congressional District.

Last November, the Republican with strong ties to the Tea Party lost a close race against incumbent Democrat Russ Carnahan for the 3rd Congressional District. In declaring his intention to run for the 2nd District today, Martin could be setting himself up for a rematch against on Carnahan on friendlier soil.

Last week, Missouri legislators pushed though a redistricting map that eliminates Carnahan's district. If he wants to remain in Congress after 2012, Carnahan would likely have to run in the new 2nd District (which encompasses more conservative stretches of St. Louisa and St. Charles and counties) or take on his frenemy, Democrat William Lacy Clay Jr., in the 1st District.

A spokeswoman tells the Post-Dispatch today that Carnahan is "gathering information and evaluating all of his options" about a possible run in those districts.

Republican Todd Akin, the congressman currently representing the 2nd District, is expected to run for Senate in 2012.

Below is Martin's video announcement of his campaign. As in last year's run for Congress, Martin continues to harp on "Obamacare." He's also found a new populist issue on which to take a stand: high gas prices. Unbelievably, Martin has come down against $4-per-gallon prices.