The Missouri Times will be hosting the first Republican gubernatorial debate of 2016, streaming from downtown Jefferson City. The debate will be a stark contrast from the previous series of forums that have been held around the state.
The debate will be Monday, February 22, the evening before candidate filing, at Revel, hosted by the Missouri Times publisher and host of This Week in Missouri Politics, Scott Faughn. Missouri Right to Life, johncombest.com, and Missouri Alliance for Freedom will be co-sponsoring the event.
The format will be in true debate debate form, asking the same set of questions of each candidate and allowing candidates rebuttal time to defend any attacks against themselves.
Former House Speaker Catherine Hanaway, businessman John Brunner, and Lt. Governor Peter Kinder have committed to the debate. Not-for-profit organizer Eric Greitens, a fourth candidate expected to file for the office, is out-of-state that evening and unable to attend.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.