Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010
Filing opens for state elections
Two city councilmembers running for Missouri House
Miranda Wycoff, Journal Staff
Print
E-Mail
Filing opened Tuesday for the Aug. 3 primary election in which seats for Missouri General Assembly are up for grabs.
The seat for the Missouri General Assembly’s Eighth Senatorial District is officially underway as Rep. Bryan Pratt, R-District 55, Rep. Will Kraus, R- District 48 and Rep. Gary Dusenberg, R-District 54 all filed Tuesday.
The three Congressmen currently hold seats representing Blue Springs and Lee’s Summit in the Missouri House of Representatives.
Pratt, who resides in Blue Springs, won the ballot lottery the first day of filing, drawing the lowest number, so his name will appear first on the ballot.
“I was the first person to announce I was running,” Pratt said. “I have been committed to this race from the beginning and I think filing the first day shows that.”
Pratt said the race between the three Republican Congressmen will come down to leadership.
“Over the last three years when it came time to elect House leadership, both of my opponents voted to elect me as their leader,” Pratt said.
Kraus, a Lee’s Summit resident, will follow Pratt’s name on the ballot.
“I think this race is going to be a definitive one,” Kraus said. “I don’t think it’s going to be by just a few votes.”
Kraus defined himself as a “common-sense conservative” who will represent the people.
“People get up in Jefferson City and they’re around lobbyists all the time and they start to think the lobbyists represent what the people want,” Kraus said. “I won’t do that. I’m going to represent the people back home.”
Dusenberg, Blue Springs, drew the largest number on Tuesday, and therefore his name will appear third on the Aug. 3 ballot.
Although he didn’t fare as well in the ballot lottery, Dusenberg still stressed the importance of filing opening day.
“Its very important to let people know you are interested in the job at hand,” Dusenberg said. “I wanted to get started early.”
Dusenberg, the oldest of the filed Republican candidates, cited his life experience as something that makes him stand out from the crowd.
“If nothing else, my experience,” Dusenberg said. “My experience in life, my experience with economic downturns and my military experience. “I think I’ve got a better view of life and what goes on out here (in Jefferson city). And I have a desire to serve the people. I’ve been a public servant all my life and that’s all I want to do.”
As of press time Thursday, no other candidates have filed for the Eighth Senatorial District primary election.
Missouri House of Representatives
Two Blue Springs city council members filed Tuesday for seats in the Missouri House of Representatives. Jeanie Lauer, who currently serves as a District one councilmember, filed as a republican for the District 54 seat.
“It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to do this,” Lauer said.
She said her experience on the city council has prepared her to represent the people of the 54th district in a number of ways.
“You see the impact of the legislation on the community,” Lauer said. “Its very important to keep local in mind first while dealing with state issues.”
Lauer said her work on the city council has familiarized her with other entities in the 54th District like the school district and Central Jackson County Fire Protection District.
So far, no other republicans have filed for Lauer’s race, although John Bullard, Bucker, filed as a democrat. Sheila Solon currently serves as a District three Blue Springs city councilmember and has filed for the District 55 seat in the Missouri House.
Solon said because of her service as a city councilmember she is in touch with the residents of Blue Springs. “I will take with me their concerns and their issues,” Solon said.
Her top priorities in if elected to the Missouri House are “getting people to work,” the economy and taking care of the schools.
As of press time, Solon is the only republican filed for the 55th District, although Clay Rodgers, Blue Springs, has filed as a democrat and Kevin Parr, Grain Valley, has filed as a libertarian.
The Missouri House seat for the 56th District is open, as Rep. Brian Yates resigned in late 2009. Mike Cierpiot, Lee’s Summit, announced his intent to run shortly after Yates’ announcement. Cierpiot is running as a republican and so far, no one else as filed in that party. Lee’s Summit’s Dave Coffman filed Tuesday as a democrat.
The only area Missouri House race where an incumbent has filed to keep his seat is the 47th District. Rep. Jeff Grisamore, Lee’s Summit, filed Tuesday morning and will take the top spot on the republican ballot against opponent Annalisa Zapien-Pina in the Aug. 3 election.
Bob Gough and Garry Cross, both of Lee’s Summit filed Tuesday for the republican primary in the 48th District. Gavin Fletchell, Kansas City filed as a democrat and Nathan Eaton, Lee’s Summit, filed for the Constitution Party for the same district.
To reach Journal reporter Miranda Wycoff, call 816-282-7017, or e-mail mwycoff@bluesprings journal.com.
