JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Former Speaker of the House Tim Jones, a regular mention for 2016 bids, announced this morning on 97.1 FM Talk with Jailman that he will not be seeking office in 2016 and will serve as the first fellow at The Hammond Institute at Lindenwood University.
“Phase One: I am honored to have been chosen as the FIRST Senior Policy Fellow for the newly created @LUHammonInst @LindenwoodU!” Jones tweeted.
Jones shared on Twitter that he “will continue being a strong voice & leader for common sense conservative public policy across [Missouri] & beyond.”
The Hammond Institute’s mission is “to foster free enterprise and civil and religious liberty through the examination of market-oriented approaches to economic and social issues.” The Institute’s website touts the Constitution as a base for limited government as “a necessary component of a just and prosperous society.”
Jones currently has $993,783.14 cash on hand in his campaign account – one of the largest war chests in the state.
Regarding his war chest, Jones told The Missouri Times that he does intend “to keep all options open for a potential future run.”
“I have raised and given away nearly $900,000 over the last 7 years – more than any other elected GOP leader,” Jones told The Missouri Times. “In the last 30 days, I gave away $25,000 more to help solidify and build the GOP supermajority as one of my final acts as the leader of our party. JONES PAC will continue to be a significant source of campaign support for true conservative leaders in this state who are willing to advance the challenging yet key public policy issues of tax reform, education reform, judicial reform, and labor reform, especially worker freedom. And I will also keep a significant reserve, as I intend to keep all options open for a potential future run.”
The Hammond Institute has been active on social for over a year and is directed by Dr. Howard Wall, who formerly served as vice president and regional economics adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. No one at Lindenwood is currently available to provide further background on the program.
Jones also shared with followers that he will have more time with his family and “the freedom to continue to be a strong conservative voice were the keys to my decision.”
He further announced on Twitter to stay tuned for further announcements.
“Phase Two & beyond: more exciting announcements later this month! (Hint: media & communications) Stay tuned!”
The House of the 97th General Assembly, which Jones led, saw some of the most conservative legislation passed, including a 72-hour waiting period for abortions and a large tax cut.
This story will continue to be updated.
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.
