He was defeated last year by the late Missouri governor Mel Carnahan, who died in a plane crash after the ballot paper was finalised.

BBC: Spotlight on key Bush nominee

Ashcroft was defeated on November 7 by Mel Carnahan, the popular Democratic governor of Missouri who died with his son in a plane crash a few weeks earlier.

CNN: Senator who lost to dead candidate observes Florida trial

The two were in the Missouri state capital to attend a memorial service for Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan, who was killed earlier this week in a small plane crash.

CNN: Both sides deny existence of rift