JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Farm Bureau hosted the first debate featuring all five Republican candidates of Missouri’s 2016 gubernatorial election cycle Tuesday night.
Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, state Sen. Bob Dixon, former state House Speaker Catherine Hanaway, businessman John Brunner and former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens answered questions regarding funding for roads, health care and broadband access in rural areas, and bringing business to the state of Missouri.
It marked the first time all five candidates attended a forum together to speak on why they were the best choice for the Republican Party to challenge the likely Democratic nominee, Attorney General Chris Koster.
Each candidate offered their own approach. Kinder touted his success his statewide elections, Hanaway spoke about her experience as a tough prosecutor, Greitens continued to expound upon his outsider status, Brunner cited his business credentials, and Dixon pointed out his conservative record.
“We need a confident and optimistic leader to take us to victory,” Kinder said in his opening statement.
However, the candidates all offered fairly similar visions of how to accomplish goals to take Missouri forward, including the passage of right-to-work legislation, encouraging entrepreneurship by cutting regulation and bureaucracy and making government smaller.
Rep. David Wood, R-Versailles, believed that while the debate had little clash, it acted more as a way for the five candidates to make their positions known.
“I don’t know that it was a matter of a win or lose tonight,” Wood said. “It was a matter of getting all of the candidates out, what their positions are, what their approaches are going to be. We’re a year away from the election, so it’s really too early to get down to the fine details.
“You have the non-political approach of Mr. Brunner and Mr. Greitens as a stark contrast to the political experience of Sen. Dixon, Lt. Gov. Kinder and Catherine Hanaway. People have to make that decision as to which approach they wish to take.”
Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, echoed that sentiment.
“It was a great debate,” he said. “It was substantive, the candidates were asked some very difficult questions, and we heard five visions for the future of the state… I don’t think there was anyone on the stage whose supporters left here tonight saying they did a bad job.”
Barnes has endorsed Greitens, but added that he enjoyed hearing from the other candidates and would support whichever candidate won the nomination. Wood believes that was the most important takeaway from the evening.
“As a Republican, I’m going to support all of them and let the best person win and get behind that person to defeat Chris Koster,” he said.
