Press "Enter" to skip to content

Schweich sent an open letter encouraging gubernatorial run

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – More than 120 lawmakers, lawyers, business owners and opinion makers signed an open letter to Missouri Audtor Tom Schweich urging him to run for Governor in 2016.

“Congratulations on your overwhelming reelection as Missouri State Auditor,” the letter reads. “As you mentioned in your Election Night remarks, Missouri must now confront the serious challenges facing our great state. By virtue of your experience and talents we believe that you are the perfect candidate to provide the critical leadership as Missouri’s next Governor.” [See full letter below]

Some high profile names found on the letter include former Missouri Senator and U.S. Attorney General John Danforth, former U.S. Senator Jim Talent, state senator Mike Parson, former state senator and current state representative Kevin Engler, along with a slew of other officials and business owners.

Schweich has been rumored to be mulling a gubernatorial bid nearly since his election to auditor. Should he choose to run, he would be facing Catherine Hanaway, the only other Republican who has declared intentions thus far. Hanaway, a former House Speaker, is expected to line up an impressive stack of current and former state lawmakers to support her campaign. The letter comes on the tail of a fundraiser hosted by former Republican national committeewoman Ann Dickinson on behalf of Hanaway, which featured Hanaway supporter and former senator, governor, auditor, Kit Bond.

Today’s letter is no doubt a subtle reminder that Schweich would have his own sizeable block of support.

“120-plus activists, elected officials and donors across Missouri sent a strong message today that they believe the best chance Republicans have to take the Governor’s Mansion in 2016 would be to coalesce behind Tom Schweich, who’s won statewide twice in impressive fashion and never lost a an election,” Gregg Keller, a spokesperson for Schweich, said.

A primary between Hanaway and Schweich would likely be expensive and bloody. Both candidates have significant financial backing and, in a full-blown fight for the governor’s mansion, neither is afraid to go negative.

Schweich has not yet formally announced his 2016 intentions.

 

Rachael Herndon contributed to this report.

 

AN OPEN LETTER TO STATE AUDITOR TOM SCHWEICH November 19, 2014

Dear Tom,

Congratulations on your overwhelming reelection as Missouri State Auditor. As you mentioned in your Election Night remarks, Missouri must now confront the serious challenges facing our great state. By virtue of your experience and talents we believe that you are the perfect candidate to provide the critical leadership as Missouri’s next Governor.

You have a record of effective leadership that shows you can be an effective Governor. During your time as Missouri Auditor you’ve earned high marks from Republican and Democrats alike as tough but fair. You’ve:

  • Initiated new practices to root out waste, fraud and abuse in government, including the Audit Follow-Up program and Anti-Embezzlement Program.
  • Uncovered more than 30 elected officials from both political parties that betrayed the public trust by stealing or misappropriating funds.
  • Audited our school districts to tremendous effect, ensuring that dollars meant for the classroom get to the classroom.
  • Recovered more than $2 million in stolen or misappropriated taxpayers funds.Not only have you proven you can do the job, Tom, but you’ve proven you have the political skills to get the job. You’ve won every statewide race in which you’ve run. In 2010 you took on an experienced legislator in the Republican primary for Auditor and defeated him by 17 points. You went on to defeat the Democrat incumbent in the general election by 5 points despite her 25 years in elective office. In each of those elections you showed statewide appeal by winning more than 100 of Missouri’s counties.While you initially drew a competent challenger for your reelection in 2014, the Democrat dropped out of the race and conceded that he couldn’t mount a campaign against you, given your reputation as such an effective Missouri Auditor. In the general election you went on to win each of Missouri’s 114 counties and the City of St. Louis while garnering the highest vote percentage in modern Missouri political history. In the 2014 race, you raised money from donors all over state, confirming that your political and financial support is both wide and deep all across Missouri.Rest assured, anyone running in the 2016 gubernatorial campaign will be well funded. In order to win, we must have a candidate with the vision, experience and skills to represent all Missourians. It is our hope you will once again answer the call to serve by announcing your candidacy for Governor of Missouri.Respectfully,

Ken Ashlock
Prosecuting Attorney, Polk County

Kevin Austin
State Representative

Brandon Bardot
Attorney, Aubuchon Buescher & Goodale

Tom Barr
Circuit Clerk-Elect, Greene County

Susy Barr

Chuck Bayse
State Representative-Elect

Hardy Billington
Committeeman, Missouri Republican Party Central Committee

Dave Blanke
Committeeman, St. Louis County Republican Central Committee

Joseph C. Blanton, Jr. Attorney, Blanton Law Firm

Jack Bodine
Retired, Executive Vice President Bodine Aluminum

Noel Boyd Retired Banker

Rita Boyd

Larry Boyd
Vice President, Bank of Bolivar

Joe Brazil
St. Charles County Republican Central Committee Chair

Ruby Brownlee
Former Committeewoman, Missouri Republican Party Central Committee

Ben Butler
Prosecuting Attorney-Elect, Cass County

Bruce Buwalda
Chairman, St. Louis County Republican Central Committee

Gary Cansler
Retired Business Executive

Judy Cansler

Kevin Childress
President & CEO, My Freightworld Technologies, Inc.

Leon Combs
Retired Business Executive

Jerry Cook
Loren Cook Company

Kay Cook

Harry Cooper
Harry Cooper Supply

Dakota Crow
Director, Boys and Girls Club of Greater West Plains

Tom Crowley
Crowley Insurance Company

Andrea Crowley

Jane Cunningham Former State Senator

Jack Danforth Former U.S. Senator

Dean Dankelson
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Jasper County

Bill Darr
Founder, Darr Family Foundation

Virginia Darr
Founder, Darr Family Foundation

Donovan Dobbs
Prosecuting Attorney Christian County

Shamed Dogan
State Representative-Elect

Tony Dugger
State Representative

Steve Ehlmann
St. Charles County Executive

Sandy Ellis Larry Ellis

Kevin Engler Former State Senator

Neal Ethridge
Former 7th District Republican Chairman

Betty Ethridge

Art Fillmore
Senior Partner, Levy Craig

Scott Fitzpatrick State Representative

Paul Fitzwater
State Representative

Ambassador Sam Fox Marilyn Fox

Lyndall Fraker State Representative

Gene Fribis
President, Fribis Engineering

Lee Gannaway
Former Mayor of Springfield

John Gentry
President and CEO, Positronic

Joy Gerstein
Former Committeewoman, Missouri Republican Party Central Committee

Linda Haberstroh
President at Phoenix Textile

Kent Hampton
State Representative

Doyle Heiney
Texas County Planning Commission

Bill Hennessy
Co-Founder, St. Louis Tea Party Coalition

Peter Herschend
Founder, Herschend Family Entertainment

Jim Hoft
Founder of the Gateway Pundit

Dwayne Holden
President Custom Metal Craft

Beth Yarbrough

Jack Jackson
Former State Representative

Dave Krehbiel
Former Commissioner, Camden County

Dr. Keith LaFerrier Randy LaFerrier

John Lamping Former State Senator

Lou Lapaglia
Presiding Commissioner, Christian County

Chuck MacNab
Coordinator, Missouri Patriot Forum

Robert Mahaffey
President Mahaffey Enterprises

Jennifer Mahaffey

Fredna Mahaffey

Ramona McQueary

Terry Meek
President, Meek Lumber Yard

Mary Kay Meek
President, Trymeek Corporation

Jeff Merrell
Prosecuting Attorney, Taney County

Jeff Messenger State Representative

Darrell Moore
Former Prosecuting Attorney, Greene County

Lynn Morris
State Representative

Randy Park
President, Printex, Inc.

Mike Parsons State Senator

Jim Penn
Penn Enterprises

Debbie Penn

Dr. Larry Petersen
Partner, Ozark Anesthesia Association, In.

Vickie Petersen

Palmer A. Reynolds
Founder and CEO, Phoenix Textile Corp.

Bill Ricketts
Former President, EMCO Building Products

Camille Ricketts

Lyle Rowland
State Representative

Bob Salmon
Presiding Commissioner, St. Clair County

June Schmidt
Committeewoman, Lewis & Clark Republican Township

Matt Selby
Prosecuting Attorney, Stone County

Jake Skouby
Prosecuting Attorney, Newton County

Stephen Smith
Owner, Stephen’s Photography

GarhonStauss
Former Committeewoman, Missouri Republican Party Central Committee

Tera Sukman
Tea Party Patriot HQ

Dr. Randy Sukman Theresa Sumners

Jerry Sumners
CEO, Service Vending

Tom Sutherland
Sutherland Lumber Company

Jim Talent
Former U.S. Senator

Scott Thomas

Don Trotter
Prosecuting Attorney, Lawrence County

Jeff Tyne Springfield Grocers

Lynn Tyne Megan Valleroy

Dr. Andrew Valleroy
Physician, MU Family Medicine

Carl Vogel
Former State Senator

Chris Wade
Former Prosecuting Attorney, Douglas County

Nate Walker
State Representative

Ambassador Bert Walker Carol Walker

Dee Wampler
Attorney, Law Offices of Dee Wampler and Joseph Passanise

Anne Wampler

Ryan Westcoat
Cass County Auditor-Elect

Craig Westfall
Committeeman, Missouri Republican Party Central Committee

Ray Weter
Commissioner, Christian County

Bill White
State Representative

Spook Whitener CEO, Trailiner Corp.

Liz Whitener

John J. Woodside
President, Scotsman Coin Co.

John B. Woodside
Vice President, Scotsman Coin Co.

Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten
Former Executive Vice President, O’Reilly Auto Parts

Kim York
Cass County Circuit Clerk-Elect

Matt Yutzy
Owner, Rudy’s Roofing

Jeffrey L. Zelms
Former Vice Chairman, President and CEO, The Doe Run Company