JEFFERSON CITY, MO. – When St. Charles County Republicans recruited Anne Zerr to run for the Missouri House of Representatives seat that then-newly elected Senator Tom Dempsey was vacating, they knew they were recruiting an independent thinker.
They hoped her reputation for independence, along with her wealth of contacts in St. Charles would help Republicans hold the seat in the special election. She would both go on to win the special election and demonstrate independence and iron will.
From tax cuts to education reform to fighting new government regulations, she has fostered a reputation for listening to everyone while not being pushed around by anyone. One legislator described her as, “The Iron Lady of the Missouri Republican Party”.
When she was recruited, the Republican majority was still young. Several legislators still had memories of being in the minority fresh in their minds. It was a time coming off the tough 2006 elections and entering into the 2008 elections, which were challenging for Missouri Republicans.
The Obama years, which played a large part in forming the Republican supermajorities, were still three years off, and Republicans were far more concerned with electing members and keeping their majority than selecting candidates who would take orders from the top once in office.
The parallels to Thatcher, the former British Prime minister and icon of the conservative Tory party, don’t always line up verbatim with Rep. Zerr.
For instance, Zerr is clearly to the right of Thatcher on education reform, however their similarities in their open, but firm, decision making processes do bear striking resemblances.
Kate Casas, a lobbyist for education reform, observed, “We have worked a lot with Anne. She always asks very tough questions, but has always come down on the side of kids and families while under intense pressure.”
One of the biggest fights during her time in the House has been over tax cuts. Zerr, who comes from a competitive district, voted for each tax cut after intense pressure from groups who claimed the cuts would be too severe.
“I’ve always voted for tax cuts, the government is big enough as it is,” said Zerr. “We just can’t keep taxing and taxing and taxing. We have to build efficiencies instead of raising spending.”
Prior to serving in the House, Zerr was the Executive Director of Partners for Progress, essentially the Civic Progress for St. Charles County.
“While running the Partnership for Progress, we saw that cutting taxes simply makes us a more attractive place for business,” she said.
While there, she began a public private partnership to implement a manufacturing skills institute to train employees for St. Charles County manufacturers. Companies Manufacturing Skills Institute, which served as a prototype for the Missouri Works program, are still using the program today.
“Anne is committed to building an economic engine to see the St. Charles economy grow and create jobs,” Jan Beardsley, who is from St. Charles and worked with her on several projects. “I support her every opportunity I get. She is very strong on public policy and law enforcement. She has been strong enough to build credibility with every faction to bring them together.”
Another area where Zerr has been both praised and ridiculed for tough stances has been on gun rights and abortion issues. Zerr has been a consistent vote supporting gun rights while representing a suburban district where it isn’t always popular. She has become a key voice being one of a limited number of Republican anti-abortion, pro-gun and female elected officials who speak out forcefully on social issues.
Zerr has chaired the House Select Committee on Commerce. She became chair of the committee at a time when the Senate was at war with itself with some senators wanting to end tax credits to boost state spending, while the House held its position on tax credit reform. Ultimately, the status quo for tax credits was maintained.
“She is very good at listening to all sides and trying to be collaborative while making sure there is a balance between good policy and accomplishing an end goal”, said Rep. Jeanie Lauer. “She is very good at standing her ground, and always does.”
Again, the House committee held their position never siding with either extreme faction.
“We can approach it where everyone can succeed if everyone does a give and take,” said Zerr. “That is where good policy is made. We need more policies such as the data storage work we’re doing to expand this growing industry in our state. It is a win-win where the state always sees a one-to-one return on the state’s investment.”
While her time is winding down in the House next year, she is running for state Senate, where she would again follow Tom Dempsey, and if her time in the House is any indication, she is unlikely to be a senator who folds to leadership – an “Iron Lady,” if you will.
