JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – With the election less than three weeks away, candidates across the nation are going to great lengths in an attempt to reach out to voters.
But members of the House leadership are trying a different approach from the usual campaign stops.
They’re hitting the pavement, passing out flyers, knocking on doors, and talking one-on-one with the voters of the Show Me State.
House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, joined more than a dozen candidates on the campaign trail over the last week, traveling around the state for six days and lending a helping hand to the campaign volunteers.
“Election Day is right around the corner, and we kind of timed this trip to coincide with the final push toward election,” Richardson said. “It’s really a critically important time for all of our candidates to redouble their efforts.
Jefferson County is GOP Country. Enjoyed joining my friends @RobVescovo, @danshaul113 and Rep Roden to campaign this AM. @Missouri_HRCC pic.twitter.com/L35iRyzLst
— Todd Richardson (@Rep_TRichardson) October 15, 2016
Several of the candidates are currently locked in tight races, deemed risky by the party.
Republicans currently hold the supermajority in the house, but this election could change that if some challengers beat out the GOP candidates.
House Majority Floor Leader Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, was also with Richardson on the trail, and says that the Republicans’ focus right now is holding those seats.
“There are two or three seats we’re going after right now that are competitive over in the St. Louis area, but we’ve won most of the seats that are in play,” Cierpiot said. “So, for us, we’re playing defense all over the state. I think a win would be if we stay right where we’re at now, or pick up a seat or two.”
Robert Knodell, the executive director of the House Republican Campaign Committee, said any time leaders of the House can assist their fellow members in their races, it provides a positive boost to morale for the candidate and, more importantly, the campaign.
“We try to advise the leadership from our perspective in terms of which races we believe to be the most competitive,” Knodell said. “I think, for us, you have to avoid losing the Republican seats and hold our own in the swing districts.”
Richardson said their focus is on how to make Missouri a better place to live in, work, and raise a family.
“For a lot of our candidates, the motivation lies in why they wanted to get in this in the first place. It’s a motivation to try and do their part to make their state and district a better place.”
Richardson says that not only is it good for his fellow congressmen, it also gives him the opportunity to get in touch with the people he is working to represent.
“This was a good way for me to get out, not only helping out our candidates, who are putting in a tremendous amount of work, but also give me a chance to hear what’s going in their district, and hopefully lend some help,” he continued.
Both Knodell and Cierpiot credit the Speaker with the idea of hopping on the campaign RV and going door-to-door, an approach that isn’t used so often by the higher positions of government. But Knodell says that can be the difference in reaching more voters.
“Elections change in terms of the way a candidate communicates with voters, but the basics – making phone calls, knocking doors, the nuts and bolts – they really haven’t changed,” Knodell said. “The challenge in this day and age, voters have become more diverse in how they communicate with each other, and how they get their news. It’s more difficult to get your message out there, that’s for certain.”
Both Richardson and Cierpiot applaud the candidates for their hard work, as well as all of their volunteers, and hope that their efforts helped provide a spark as the final days draw near.
“I think it really did rally the troops, because campaigns are long. A lot of our volunteers are spending a lot of time outdoors with our candidates, doing things that are very important, but very, very daily. Sometimes you lose sight of what you’re doing, and how important it is,” Cierpiot said. “I think to see Todd on the ground, walking with candidates, it really charged people up.”
“The thing that stood out to me the most is just how hard everyone is working,” Richardson said. “Many of them have been working since the spring, so this was a time when we thought we could come in and provide a little help, and a little encouragement to finish their races strong. There’s a whole lot of enthusiasm, and I’m excited about that.”
FEATURED: House Speaker Todd Richardson goes door to door with House Majority Floor Leader Mike Cierpiot, assisting with Mary Hill. PHOTO/TWITTER – @Rep_TRichardson
Benjamin Peters was a reporter for The Missouri Times and Missouri Times Magazine and also produced the #MoLeg Podcast. He joined The Missouri Times in 2016 after working as a sports editor and TV news producer in mid-Missouri. Benjamin is a graduate of Missouri State University in Springfield.
