During the Nodaway County Fair, the Maryville Chamber of Commerce sponsored a candidates’ forum and drew a big crowd into the courtroom. Common themes were the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, the willingness to work across the aisle, and the ability to get Washington DC and Jefferson City to listen to this corner of the state.
US SENATE
Paul Venable, Constitution Party
Mr. Venable, who also came to the Worth County candidates forum late in June, paid a return visit to the area. He said that everything is about blue vs. red, “But who is fighting for us?” He asked.
He said the problem is that the Constitution is not read or used. For instance, he said that the Constitution does not authorize foreign governments to own land, referring to the Smithfield operation. He said that too many foreign corporations were getting away with owning land and hiring people who were not Americans.
He said the solution to the country’s problems is going back to the Constitution. For instance, Congress has specific powers, but drugs were not one of them. “What I feel about not them might not be the same as the people and the legislatures,” he said. Meanwhile, he said, nobody was protecting the borders.
Another case in point was abortion. He said that the recent Supreme Court decision reversing Roe was correctly decided because it was an issue for the states. On a personal level, he said children were a blessing; he noted that he has a child with Down’s Syndrome who can milk goats and help on the family farm and is productive as anyone else.
If elected, Mr. Venable said he would seek to remove President Joe Biden from office under Amendment 14, Section 3, which states that no person may hold any office under the United States shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the country or given aid and comfort to its enemies. “If we don’t act, we could get to unrecoverable Constitutional violations,” he said.
Dave Sims, Republican
Mr. Sims said the country needs to elect persons who care about We the People, not career politicians. He said that if elected, he would have regular town hall meetings with the people.
“My campaign is all about bringing people together,” he said. He said that while Joe Biden was causing division, he was a peacemaker and would vote like one. “My dad always taught me to listen to both sides,” he said. When he was little, Mr. Sims said he didn’t appreciate that, but that now he has taken his dad’s lesson to heart.
On a personal level, Mr. Sims said that his brother had a Down’s Syndrome child, and that not being a woman, it was hard to imagine what pregnancy was like. He said that the recent Supreme Court decision was correctly decided, since it gave the abortion issue back to the states.
“I’m not a career politician,” said Mr. Sims. “I support term limits. When the Founding Fathers served, they went back home when they were done and let someone else serve. I believe in following the Constitution.”
US CONGRESS, 6TH DISTRICT
Brandon Kleinmeyer, Republican
Mr. Kleinmeyer pledged to uphold conservative values and research issues before voting on them. “There is too much partisan behavior in Washington,” he said. If he’s elected and the GOP retains its majority, he said they could block Joe Biden from making things worse. “My values do matter, but I can’t ignore yours,” he said.
He recently took a four day trip across the 6th District, which now constitutes the entire northern part of the state. “Everyone has their own values,” he said. “I have to see where the peoples’ values lie and work with it. I would cross the aisle for good reason, not for weird reasons like Red Flag laws.” If elected, Mr. Kleinmeyer said he would turn his website into a forum so he could hear from his constituents.
On Roe, Mr. Kleinmeyer said that the state level was the right place to decide the abortion issue. “It’s complicated, and I’m not a woman,” he said. “We, as federal candidates, should not even be involved. The only reason it’s even an issue is so that liberals can get a platform.” While he says he supports exceptions for rape, incest, and the woman’s life being in danger, he said, “It’s not a federal issue anymore, and that’s a good thing.”
Mr. Kleinmeyer added, “If you don’t like the abortion laws of your state, change whose running the state.”
One hot issue for Mr. Kleinmeyer was taxes. He said that as a tax professional by trade, he wanted to overhaul the tax code. He noted that under Donald Trump, there were a lot of good measures put in, but that they were temporary. “With inflation, the last thing we need is our taxes going up,” he said.
Charles West, Democratic
Charles West, who visited Albany back in June, paid a return visit to the area. He said he was born on a family farm and raised cattle, pigs, and horses. He works on factory floors at union shops. “It’s not about me; it’s about everyone,” he said. He said that he drove 1,200 miles in two days as part of his job and while campaigning for the seat. “It costs me $100 every time I fill up,” he said.
While the US actually has some of the cheapest gas in the world, it could always do more, starting with pressuring corporations to use the 9,000 leases that are unused. “We have all these corporations that are making $100 billion a quarter,” he said. Recently, The Guardian noted that big oil companies have been making an estimated $3 billion a day since 1970. “Step up and put pressure on the big oil companies,” he said. “Work together for once.”
Mr. West pledged to do what was right for the people he would serve, not answer to those in power. “Everyone has their own values. I’ll work with everyone. This can go for everything,” he said.
He said that incumbent Republican Sam Graves, who is seeking reelection this year, has been in power for too long, having served for 22 years. “He’s never worked for us,” charged Mr. West. “He’s as extreme as you can get. That’s why we need a change.”
On the abortion issue, Mr. West said he was 100% pro-choice. He said that the day Roe vs. Wade was overturned, he got tearful calls from his daughter and fiancee, who were fearful that their rights were being stripped away. “It’s not a liberal issue, but a human issue,” he said. Mr. West said the meaning of the 14th Amendment, which gives civil rights to all persons “born in the US,” was clear. If elected, Mr. West said he would work to codify Roe vs. Wade into law. “Nobody tells me what I can do. Everyone is telling a woman and her doctor what they can and can’t do,” he said.
After running successfully for school board in 2020, Mr. West won and ran again successfully in 2022. “I’ve worked hard my whole life,” he said. “You’ll see my signs next to Trump signs. I’ll work with everyone from the working class to the upper class. That’s what I do on a daily basis,” he said.
Henry Martin, Democratic
Having seen the Berlin Wall fall and having worked in the Great Flood of 1993, Mr. Martin said, “When bad things happen, when good people stand by, we’re just as responsible,” he said. Mr. Martin is making his third run for Congress this year. “Some appeal only to one side or the other. Governance happens when we compromise,” he said.
Mr. Martin has been practicing what he has been preaching. He doesn’t know a stranger and engaged in a good conversation with John Dady, one of the most conservative candidates that evening, before the forum started.
He said that he wanted to increase pressure on the corporations for inflation. “We’re blaming the politicians, but we’re not putting pressure on the corporations. Pressure them to justify their price increases,” said Mr. Martin.
“My job is to be loyal to the people in this room,” said Mr. Martin. “I don’t always agree with Joe Biden. My values don’t matter; it’s a matter of what the people want done. That’s my responsibility. When it concerns the district, I will speak truth to power.”
One of Mr. Martin’s main causes was ending gerrymandering. He said that it had gotten so precise, the most extreme candidates were winning. He said that as an educator, he had to reach a consensus. “That’s the kind of person I am,” he said. “Build coalitions and find common ground”
On the reversal of Roe, Mr. Martin said that he opposed it and wanted to see abortion safe, legal, and rare. In addition, he wanted to see contraception made free. Like his primary opponent, Charles West, he said he wanted to codify Roe vs. Wade into law if elected. He said he did not want to go back to the days when women would drink turpentine to end their pregnancies. “The Constitution is supposed to protect rights. This is completely wrong,” he said.
“I’m an individual willing to represent this area from Platte County to Worth County,” said Mr. Martin. “Every one of you matters. We are supposed to be governed, not ruled. When only one view is represented, the rest of us are subjects.”
John Dady, Republican
Mr. Dady describes himself as a spiritual warrior. “I’m my own man. I agree with a lot of what Donald Trump did. I’m against the China agreement and NAFTA,” he said, referring to the free trade agreements that the US signed in the 1990’s.
He said the problem in this country is that there is too much apathy. “I’m a fighter. I will not try to negotiate with someone who is against the Constitution,” he said. “Extremism is messing with our food supply and power generation. We cannot supply power for the Green New Deal. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should go back to bartending.”
Mr. Dady said that the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe was the correct one and that based on personal experience, he was opposed to abortion except when the life of the woman was in danger. He said that if claims of rape or incest were allowed, such claims and cases would skyrocket.
If elected, Mr. Dady said he would cut taxes to where the first $100,000 in income was not taxable. “The government wouldn’t even miss it,” he said. “We spend our own money better than the government.” Another change he said he would like to see was to limit bills to 10 pages. “My cat could do better than that,” he said.
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 12
Delus Johnson, Republican
Mr. Johnson touted his 100% voting record from the American Conservative Union while serving in the Missouri House. He said that as a businessman, he wanted to reduce business operating expenses if elected and streamline the corporate registration process. He pledged to support the 2nd Amendment, which he called the biggest deterrent to crime. He said he was opposed to red flag laws and that he was pro-life, saying that life begins at conception.
He said that he supported efforts in the Missouri Senate to filibuster over the redistricting process in an effort to get a 7-1 Republican majority for the state. He said he would also filibuster against any tax increases, even if the Senate President supports it.
Despite his hardcore conservative credentials, Mr. Johnson said that he had a proven track record of building coalitions as House Majority Whip and would use his position to bridge gaps if elected.
Mr. Johnson said he wanted to reign in the size of state government. “When I left, the budget was $26 billion a year,” he said. “It’s doubled in five years.” In addition, he said he wanted to give businesses every possible tool to thrive, cut down on regulations, and increase teacher salaries.
Endorsed by the Missouri Right to Life, Mr. Johnson pledged to review bills to ensure that there was no language helping stem cell research or allowing abortions, except to save the life of the mother. “If there is something in a bill that destroys life, I will filibuster it,” he pledged.
Rusty Black, Republican
Mr. Black talked about his background. He was a teacher at Nodaway-Holt for 5 years and Chillicothe for 28 years for a total of 33 years. In addition, he lives on a small farm and raises cattle. He said that he would be a conservative voice, and that he would be a team player. He opposed the filibusters in the Senate this year. “Too many good bills died,” he said. If elected, he pledged he would have an open door policy for his office and treat people with courtesy and respect.
He talked about the No Patient Left Behind bill that passed the legislature, which allows family members to visit patients in hospitals.
Mr. Black said he supports returning Career Ladder and predicted that the $38,000 minimum salary grant that was passed this year would stay for a while. “We fully funded the Foundation Formula and transportation. If we can keep money coming in, we will keep moving forward.”
He said that he was 100% pro-life and that he wanted to help bring money back home to the area. “If we work together, we can do it,” he said, citing the recent highway funds.
J. Eggleston, Republican
Mr. Eggleston said that he was one of the most conservative voices in the House this year, but that he would not have joined the Conservative Caucus’ filibusters. He said he was a part of it at one time and respected their support for Constitutional principles. “But then new people came along and it got too argumentative,” he said. “I’m not about strife. I want to be your voice.”
He said that his goal was for people to be heard, understood, and listened to. “I’m committed to treat people the way you would want to be treated. It’s worked well for my business and in the Capitol,” said Mr. Eggleston, who represents District 2 and is being term limited out this year. “I’ve found people return that respect. It can’t be my way or the highway.”
Asked about the teacher salaries, Mr. Eggleston said the budget was bloated and had grown over the years, especially with the federal government printing money to deal with COVID. “Now, we have to streamline government,” he said.
He said that he was pro-life and touted the endorsement of Missourians for Life. Mr. Eggleston said that as a grandfather, by the time a fetus is 44 days before the due date, or 44 minutes before birth, they are every bit a person. On a personal level, he said he lost one child due to an ectopic pregnancy and another due to a miscarriage. “We consider them ours like we do the rest of our children,” he said.
Mr. Eggleston said it was an incredible honor to be the 2nd District State Representative and said he was proud of the stand he has taken against corrupt politicians; the committee he chaired in the House expelled three. “I’m going to look out for the people back home, like I’ve done for the last eight years. I will never forget where I came from,” he said.
MISSOURI HOUSE DISTRICT 1
Michelle Horner, Republican
Horner said that as a mother whose son took his own life in 2020, she wanted to fight for children. “I’ve fought for 13 years to get rid of No Child Left Behind,” she said, referring to the high stakes testing regime passed by the Bush Administration in the mid-2000’s. “One thing God put us here to do was to protect our children.
She said it wasn’t a matter of Critical Race Theory, but about us. “This is our future. This is our time. If nothing changes, there will be no more small towns. It starts on the local level,” she said.
If elected, Horner said she would never compromise the US Constitution and would take into consideration what people wanted. “This is personal because of my son. Nobody knew how to help him. I had no place to go. Not even a support group with other parents. We can put people in schools and law enforcement to help,” she said.
She said that she was pro-life and that it came back to personal responsibility. “We have a responsibility to know that a life could happen. When I found out I was pregnant, I loved my son at first sight,” she said.
Jessica Piper, Democratic
Jessica Piper pledged to build bridges with people and to always represent the area. “I’m a dirt road Democrat, so the way I vote would be different from what the Democrats in Kansas City or St. Louis would vote,” she said.
Based on personal experience, she said she wanted to see more healthcare services, especially mental health services. “There is a huge lack of mental health services here,” she said. “It’s very difficult to access. We’re lacking funding, rural hospitals are closing, and people are having to drive farther.”
She said she never wanted to use religion to write laws. She said that if that happened, the next question was, “Which religion?” “There are many people here who are not religious; I have to represent them too,” said Piper.
Piper attacked what she saw as the hypocrisy of state policy towards abortion. “There are 14,000 kids in state custody,” she said. “What are you going to do for the born?” She said that the problem with not allowing abortion in the case of rape is that rape was the most underreported crime in the country. “There are many women suffering from trauma. I’m for local control whether it’s regarding the uterus, families, businesses, or schools,” said Piper. “Abortion should be between a woman and her doctor.”
She said that after 20 years of the Republican Party in power at the state level, it was time for a change. “Our schools are falling apart and are being forced to go to four day weeks. We have bad roads, CAFO’s. And it’s happened over a long period of time. It’s time to try something different.”
Alan Bennett, Republican
Mr. Bennett talked about his service in the US Army for 31 years. He also taught for one year and worked for the Missouri DOT, where he helped inspect local roads. “I don’t have all the answers, but I want to find ways to make things happen,” he said.
As a conservative Christian, Mr. Bennett said that he would be guided by the Bible, the Constitution, and then his Constituents. His slogan is, “Representing You.” On mental health, he said he wanted to have programs that coordinate families with law enforcement agencies. He said that he would start on any given policy by talking to people. “I’m representing you, and that’s how I’ll vote,” he said.
He said the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe was correctly decided and that he supported the current Missouri law banning abortion except in cases of medical emergency.
Mr. Bennett pledged to be a problem solver in the House. He spent his career in the Army briefing colonels and generals. He pledged not to fall prey to big donors, special interests, or blindly follow the party line. He pledged to continue his calling to public service. “It’s what I’ve done all my life,” he said.
Jeff Farnan, Republican
Jeff Farnan has logged many miles on the trail looking for votes, having knocked on over 3,409 doors so far as of two weeks ago. He has worked for the Spec Shoppe and served on the Jefferson School Board. He said he was pro-life and pro gun and pledged to keep the area safe with strong police. He pledged to listen to people who had concerns, even when he didn’t agree with them. He pledged to reach across the aisle. “If a Democrat has a good idea, I’m all for it,” he said.
On mental health, Mr. Farnan said he wanted to see more funding for school counselors. “Many are only part time,” he said. “A good counselor can change a troubled kid.”
He said he was running because this was a great place to live and he wanted to keep it that way. “I’ve worked hard all my life at everything I do,” he said.
Holly Cronk
Cronk has been organizing Maryville, a place she has called home for the last 37 years, a lot in recent years. When COVID hit, she and a group of people sat down and made masks for people free of charge, funded only by donations. She did a lawn service, organized the Maryville Farmers Market, and has fundraised for many projects around town.
“We all share the same values,” she said. She pledged to listen to the people who put her in office.
She said that mental health services have been at a crisis level in the area especially since COVID hit. She says it starts with families, and then ways to access. She praised the formation of the Mental Health Task Force, which will bring people together to work on mental health issues.
Cronk said she was 100% pro-life and that less than 0.5% of abortions are due to rape or incest. She said that most people have them for the wrong reasons. “The choice was already made in the bedroom,” she said. She said the issue started with personal responsibility.
She said that she was pro-gun. She said her dad was a gunsmith and that both she and her kids owned a gun. “When the AR-15 came out in the 1950’s, it wasn’t an issue,” she said. “Making me helpless is not the answer. Outlawing guns is not the answer. What’s next, outlawing knives?” She said that mental health was the answer, not gun restrictions.
She is endorsed by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce PAC. “They endorsed me for the work I have done,” she said. She said she wanted to make this area a great place to live so that people would not have to go to St. Joseph or Kansas City.
Jasper Logan, Republican
Mr. Logan talked about his work on the Trump and Hawley campaigns. He said that if elected, he would stand for limited government and personal freedom. He pledged not to answer to the House leadership, but to the district. “I’ll vote the way I tell you I will. I answer to you,” he said.
He said the solution to mental health or any other program was deregulation, not throwing money at problems. As an example, he said he wanted to get rid of Missouri’s Certificate of Need regulation, which is used to govern approval of healthcare applications.
He said he supported the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, calling abortion an “atrocity.”
Mr. Logan said he enjoyed hearing about what matters to people while on the campaign trail. “I won’t back down when it comes to my votes,” he said.
