Senator Talent Wins State Fair Straw Poll

Missouri State Fairgoers overwhelmingly declared their support for Senator Jim Talent for re-election to the U.S. Senate in the annual State Fair Straw Poll. Over 6,000 votes were cast and Senator Talent received 61 percent of fairgoers’ support.

The first State Fair Straw Poll was conducted in 1980, and over the past 26 years its results have been accurate in 84 percent of the races.

Senator Talent said, “It’s an honor to get the Missouri State Fair vote. At the end of the day, the only poll that matters is the one on November 7th and I believe that when the voters compare my record with my opponent’s they will determine that I’m the only candidate who believes in the common sense, conservative values of Missouri.”

Governor’s Call for Efficiency Saves State Thousands of Dollars

Governor Matt Blunt has called on all state agencies to find the most effective and efficient way to do business in order to best use Missouri tax dollars. Heeding that call, the Department of Revenue recently changed its mailing process, which has saved over $36,000 in just five months.

Previously, the department used a vendor to process certain types of mailings, but by utilizing resources at the University of Missouri, each piece of mail now costs 4.5 cents less to send out. This state department sent out more than 800,000 pieces of non-automated mail from February to June, and these changes will continue to equal big budget savings.

Governor Blunt said, “State government must find ways to live within its means, taking advantage of opportunities to enhance value and get more for every dollar. These savings are just one of the countless ways we are improving the business of state government and using every dollar to its fullest potential.”

Talent Discusses Immigration, Energy Independence Across Missouri

Every year the Senate and the House of Representatives recess in August to allow elected representatives in Congress to spend time in their home districts and meet with constituents about important issues and challenges they are facing. Senator Jim Talent is using the month of August to visit 50 counties across our state, discussing his past work and future plans to secure our nation’s borders, ensure our energy independence and monitor terrorist activity to prevent attacks against the United States.

Between August 1 and August 21, Senator Talent has revisited 32 Missouri counties after visiting all 114 counties since being elected in 2002. At a stop in Jefferson County, Senator Talent highlighted a bipartisan bill he is sponsoring with Senators Pete Domenici, R-NM, and Byron Dorgan, D-ND, to protect our nation’s southern borders. At that stop Senator Talent said, “America is a nation of immigrants, but it is also a nation of laws. Like all sovereign nations, America has the right to determine who may enter our country and who may not.”

At stops in Saline, Howard, Boone and Jasper counties, Senator Talent discussed the importance of utilizing our domestic energy capabilities and decreasing our dangerous dependence on Middle Eastern oil. These were just a few of the stops where Senator Talent visited ethanol plants, seed distributorships and family farms to listen to the challenges and concerns of his constituents. As a sponsor of the Renewable Fuels Standard signed into law last summer, Senator Talent realizes the importance of using our fields to produce our fuel. To see pictures from these stops, click here.

McCaskill Alters Illegal Ads

Despite declaring that it was a “minor mistake,” Claire McCaskill has been forced to change radio ads that initially failed to include the name of the office she is seeking, which is a direct violation of federal campaign finance laws. The McCaskill camp seems to be naturals when it comes to campaign blunders, racking up “minor mistakes” by the truck-load. They already have had to amend an FEC financial filing twice because of the tangled web used to hide McCaskill and hubby Joseph Shepard’s millions in MHDC and nursing home profits. And just this month a spokesperson for McCaskill gave at least five different excuses to cover up Clueless Claire’s no-show at the Missouri Farm Bureau candidate forum.

In yet another example of her incompetence and carelessness, McCaskill allowed the illegal radio ads to run in St. Louis, Kansas City and other areas until she was confronted by the media about the violations. Missourians deserve to have someone who is competent and capable representing them in the United States Senate, and Claire McCaskill continues to prove that she is not up to the task.

Montee Turns Blind Eye on Missing $4 Million

Buchanan County Auditor Susan Montee’s failure to audit the county administrator under investigation for embezzling $4 million in Social Security payments raises serious questions about whether Montee intentionally ignored the situation because of her political and personal relationship with the administrator.

The Associated Press reports that state investigators are questioning Bonnie Sue Lawson in connection with missing Social Security checks dating back to at least 2005 when complaints were first made to the state Department of Health and Senior Services. Montee, who has the authority to conduct an audit of the state administrator’s office, has received political contributions from friend Lawson.

In a shameful display Montee has turned a blind eye to the investigation of the county administrator for stealing from Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens. This week Montee had to return tainted campaign contributions from Lawson - an embarrassing admission of her complicity in this scandal.

Talent, McCaskill Schedule Third Debate

A third debate has been scheduled between Senator Jim Talent and Claire McCaskill in Springfield, MO. The debate will be held on October 16 and is sponsored by KYTV, the Springfield News-Leader, KSMU and Ozarks Public Television. Other debates have been scheduled for September 15 when Senator Talent and McCaskill will appear at the Missouri Press Association forum and October 8 when they will join Tim Russert on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

 

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