MISSOURI CHAMBER NOVEMBER 2016 | Page 26

BLURRED LINES YET CLEAR DIFFERENCES

BY JACOB LUECKE
In diverging from their parties , governor candidates create race defined by policy
KOSTER FOR MISSOURI , GREITENS FOR MISSOURI

The Missouri governor ’ s race offers a choice between elected experience and an outsider ’ s fresh perspective . It ’ s a referendum on right-to-work in Missouri . It ’ s a contest between continuing to push for Medicaid expansion and seeking another path .

It is — refreshingly — an election centered on contrasting positions that relate to important Missouri issues .
What it ’ s not is a race defined by strict ideology or party loyalty .
That ’ s because when Missouri voters go to the polls on Nov . 8 , they will choose between two credible candidates who hold views that skew toward the middle of Missouri ’ s political spectrum .
The Democrat , Chris Koster , boasts more than 20 years of service as an elected official . For the last eight years , he ’ s served as the state ’ s attorney general . His résumé also includes holding a caucus leadership role when he was a Republican in the Missouri Senate . Earlier , he was the Cass County prosecuting attorney .
“ A good deal will be made this year over whether experience or a lack of experience is a better background to serve as governor of this state ,” said Koster . “ My personal opinion is that it is better to know the government you lead than to not know it . And the deeper one ’ s understanding of this great state , the better one is able to manage this $ 27 billion enterprise we call Missouri .”
The Republican , Eric Greitens , is a political newcomer . He gained national notoriety as a Navy SEAL , author and founder of a nonprofit called The Mission Continues . He has been named one of Time ’ s 100 Most Influential People . He was also included on Fortune ’ s list of the World ’ s 50 Greatest Leaders .
“ Our government is broken . Our economy is lagging . Our kids aren ’ t getting a quality education . The failure of career politicians is hurting real people ,” Greitens said . “ We can ’ t trust the same people who got us into this mess to get us out . We need someone who has proven himself in the real world to take our state forward .”
During their careers and this campaign , both Greitens and Koster have taken positions at odds with their parties .
When Republicans in the Missouri General Assembly tried to pass a religious liberty amendment to the state ’ s constitution earlier this year , Greitens was the only Republican governor candidate to
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