ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - In a contentious three-way fight for the right to take on Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in November, it was Todd Akin who came out ahead Tuesday night.

In the past couple weeks, each of the three candidates had drawn attention from national politicians.

Sarah Palin recently stumped for the former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman at a blueberry farm, telling the crowd at one point, “what a hot mama grizzly you have!” Rep. Todd Akin, meanwhile, picked up the recent endorsement of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee while the businessman Brunner drew the attention of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s political action committee.

A poll conducted by KMOV and the St. Louis Post Dispatch in late July showed Brunner with a slight lead over Steelman and large lead over Akin but the six-term congressman Akin then surged, according to a Public Policy Poll conducted Sunday which showed Brunner with 35% support, Akin with 30% and Steelman trailing with 25%. The Democratic-leaning PPP wrote that Akin seemed to be gaining ”momentum in the closing stretch.”

Tonight’s result sets up what is likely to be a closely-watched November contest between the Republican candidate and incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill.