Remember to Vote Tuesday August 8

Important Four-Way Race for Auditor

The Missouri Republican Party wants to remind fellow Republicans to go to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 8, to support their candidates in the primary elections. A lot of attention is being paid to the four-way race for auditor. Unfortunately for our Party, Rep. Mark Wright has taken it upon himself to make disparaging remarks about other Republicans in what has been a generally civil race. Any of the other three candidates, Jack Jackson, John Loudon or Sandra Thomas would be exceptional Auditors; Wright's actions demonstrate he would not. It is important that Republicans show up at the polls on Election Day to support the Republican agenda that has helped improve the lives of so many of our fellow citizens.

Senator Talent Receives Endorsement from Missouri Pork Association

Showing their strong support for Senator Jim Talent, the Missouri pork producers endorsed his candidacy this week. Kathy Chinn, chairman of the Missouri Pork Association, noted that the organization does not routinely endorse candidates. However, based on his dedication to Missouri’s farming communities and strong support of the state’s agricultural economy, the MPA Board of Directors unanimously decided to back Senator Talent. Chinn said, “Senator Talent has proven his ability to work across party lines and to get things done. Put simply, Jim Talent is right for Missouri.”

Pork production in Missouri adds roughly $1 billion to the economy each year and provides nearly 25,000 jobs in our state. Pork production in Missouri ranks seventh in the nation, and the Missouri Pork Association represents approximately 300 of Missouri’s pork producers.

Upon receiving the endorsement, Senator Talent stated, “I’ve appreciated the opportunity to partner with our producers on issues like maintaining export markets for our pork products and working to permanently repeal the death tax so our generational farms can be passed on to the next generation of farmers. Pork production is value added agriculture and with the leadership of our pork producers we are continuing to enhance opportunities for our farmers and our economy.”

DREAM Initiative Garners Great Interest

Governor Matt Blunt announced this week that nearly 100 communities have applied to become one of the state’s designated DREAM (Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri) communities. Applications were received from all areas of the state before the August 1 deadline. The DREAM Initiative will select six to 10 cities as DREAM communities. This designation will help cities identify and use their existing resources and break down barriers to redevelopment and revitalization efforts. The DREAM Initiative is a partnership of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Missouri Development Finance Board and the Missouri Housing Development Commission. Each contributing partner will lend its individual expertise and tools to create a comprehensive and collaborative approach to downtown revitalization. Also, all 98 applicants will receive technical assistance, including an invitation-only seminar and training on downtown revitalization.

“This outstanding response demonstrates the importance of the DREAM initiative and reflects Missouri communities’ devotion to revitalizing their downtowns,” Governor Blunt said. “The DREAM Initiative will allow us to provide every interested applicant with new resources and information to spark private investment opportunities to the hearts of their hometowns in addition to providing selected DREAM communities a fast track to making their downtown revitalization a reality.”

Since taking office Governor Blunt has constantly worked to make Missouri a better place to live, work and raise a family. In just 18 months he has added nearly a third of a billion dollars to Missouri schools, overseen the creation of nearly 45,000 new jobs in our state and introduced programs like the DREAM Initiative to use our existing resources to make our state work for the people.

Governor Blunt Announces New Chief of Staff

This week Governor Blunt announced that Edward R. Martin, Jr. will begin serving as his new chief of staff on September 1. Martin, 36, serves as chairman of the St. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners and is a founding partner of the St. Louis law firm Martin & Simmonds.

In a news release Martin said, “Gov. Blunt has accomplished so much in his first 18 months in office, taking a state government that had completely lost its way and led it to sound fiscal stability. It is rare to see an elected official who delivers on nearly every promise he made in his campaign. Given that record of accomplishment and the focused agenda for the future, I consider it an honor to be asked to serve.”

Martin has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts, a juris doctorate with health law certificate and a master’s of applied ethics in health care from St. Louis University. He is very involved in his church as well as several civic organizations. Ed will make an outstanding chief of staff for our great governor.

Integrity of Elections Attacked by Democrat Lawsuit

In a slap in the face to Missouri voters, the state Democrat Party announced this week it was backing a lawsuit in Cole County Circuit Court challenging free and fair elections. Democrat Party bosses are challenging the state’s voter identification law that will safeguard ballot box integrity against cheating and abuse perpetrated by Democrats for generations, most famously in St. Louis City. Under the bill signed by Governor Matt Blunt, voters will establish identity with photo identification such as a driver’s license, as is needed almost universally in daily life to cash checks and perform other routine transactions.

The newest lawsuit comes just weeks after St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields, both Democrats, inexplicably outsourced a lawsuit against the voter identification bill to the extremist left-wing ACLU, which has a history of suing taxpayers and local governments to strike down popular and traditional holiday displays, suing local school districts to end the practice of graduation prayers and suing to require governmental bodies to recognize same-sex marriages.

This law protects the integrity of our election system and has the support of most Missourians, but Democrat Party bosses continue to prove they are more interested in stealing votes at the polls than protecting the will of the people.

Emerson Set to Begin 25th Annual Farm Tour

Next week Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson will carry on a long-standing tradition that was started by her late husband, Congressman Bill Emerson, in Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District: the Emerson Farm Tour. This year will mark the 25th year of the annual tour as Emerson travels across southern Missouri visiting farms, orchards, ranches, dairies, timber forests and other agribusinesses in the district.

Congresswoman Emerson meets with farmers and ranchers from across the district to learn about how they continue to evolve their methods for doing business in southern Missouri as well as share with them the happenings in Washington, DC. The discussions this year will be especially important as Congress prepares to take up the reauthorization of the Farm Bill.

“Even though many of these operations have been around for years and in family hands for generations, our way of doing business changes. To stay up to speed on the issues facing our farms and ranches, I make my annual visit,” Emerson said. “I also enjoy meeting with our Southern Missouri producers because we share common values of hard work and dedication. I take their ideas and their values back to Washington with me, and they will motivate me as I represent our district on agricultural issues and the upcoming Farm Bill.”

Senator Talent Emphasizes Importance of Border Security

Senator Jim Talent spoke at the Pettis County Courthouse to a large group of supporters this week to address the importance of security at our borders. Senator Talent outlined his plan for increased border patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border and the need for a wall along parts of that border.

Senator Talent stated, “The truth of the matter is the American people have been very generous over the years with their legal immigration rules. This is a nation of immigrants ... but it's also a nation of laws, and as a sovereign nation we have the right to decide who can and can not come into the United States of America.”

Claire McCaskill, Talent’s opponent in the U.S. Senate race, has stated to members of the media that she supports amnesty for illegal aliens and opposes the construction of a border wall. Missourians realize the importance of controlling the influx of illegal immigration into our country, and Senator Jim Talent has shown that he realizes the importance of this issue and has a plan to fix the problem.

 

Find out how our Republican leaders are serving Missouri by visiting their websites