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
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.