The candidates for the Missouri District 25 senate seat met in a forum hosted by the Stoddard County Central Committee at the Hidden Trails Country Club in Dexter on Wednesday evening.
One candidate, Jeff Shawan, was unable to attend due to being called to Jefferson City for a special congressional session.
Shawan submitted a written statement, which was read prior to the forum. Shawan said in the statement that there was no greater issue than putting a stop to the lawlessness and riots while ensuring law enforcement has the tools, resources and funding they need to keep communities, families and themselves safe.
The statement then listed four pieces of legislation he is introducing during the special session. The first would allow the attorney general to take over investigations from prosecutors under investigation. The second would make it a felony to block a street or highway during a protest. The third is the law enforcement officers' bill of rights, which Shawan cosponsored. The fourth will make it a criminal offense to vandalize statues and monuments in the state of Missouri.
Steven Cookson, Eddy Justice and Jason Bean then answered questions from moderator Jana Flannigan. Each were given two minutes to answer each question and then 30 seconds for a rebuttal if they chose to.
They were asked to name two or three legislative priorities that would have an impact on the 25th district.
Justice said they needed to work our agricultural areas to increase the demand for soybean and corn production. He stated more than 50 percent of the corn and soybeans produced in Missouri end up in the mouths of livestock. Justice stated increasing the livestock production would increase the demand for corn and soybeans. Biodiesel and corn fuels should be addressed to stimulate the economy.
Bean said his No. 1 priority is bringing jobs back to the 25th district and his No. 2 priority is workforce development and education.
Cookson said his No. 1 issue is economic development, which depends on workforce development that depends on education. He also said infrastructure development, which is road, bridges, the rails and more important expanding broadband and high speed internet.
They were asked which committees they would like to serve on in the senate, if elected. All three said they would like to serve on the budget committee. Bean additionally selected the agricultural committee while Cookson and Justice chose the education committee.
The candidates were asked what political ambitions they had beyond the Missouri Senate. Cookson said he had only one ambition and it was to work hard for the people of the 25th district. Justice said it was time to do away with career politicians that don't stand up for what they believe in and stand up and do what's right for families.
Bean said his No. 1 is to be the next state senator for the 25th district and to work with the people of the district to make it great. Cookson offered a rebuttal saying political positions in Missouri had term limits. He specifically mentioned representatives, senators and the governor have an eight-year limit. He stated this would be his last political campaign.
They were asked what actions they would take on police reform for the state of Missouri to keep communities safe, as well as their perspective on the national debate started after the death of George Floyd.
Justice opened saying he backs the blue 100%, saying he would fully train, fund and equip. He said that we need to focus on the heroic efforts of 99.99% of the law enforcement. He continued to say the other fraction of a percent needs to be weeded out.
Bean said he did not believe in defunding the police and if anything believed in funding them more. He said as a state senator he could help bring community leaders and police together for meetings on public safety.
Cookson agreed with Bean and Justice, saying he wanted to fully fund the police and increase their funding.
They were asked what they would do to promote Missouri agricultural businesses on the national and global stage especially with the growing uncertainty with the relationship with China.
Bean said he supported President Trump and Trump going after fair trade with China. He said he has been to China, Vietnam and South America on trade missions, which he felt should continue to promote Missouri products. He said when you go into a soybean plant, there is a pile meal from South America and one from North America and the desired meal is the North American meal.
Cookson said these are national issues that are bettered addressed by working with the governor and our representatives and senators in Washington, He said he would encourage the finding of more markets not jut China for the product.He would also support our agricultural directors.
Justice also supported Trump's trade dealings with China. He supported the new tariffs saying in the long run we would be in a better place. He said he would always vote for the 25th district. He would promote biodiesel and making sure our products are used.
Cookson said he too supported the president on his trade deals during his rebuttal.
They were asked if they would promote more widespread economic opportunity and good paying jobs throughout the area.
Cookson said we have got to have better infrastructure to move our products, as well more broadband/high speed internet availability. He noted how his son and daughter-in-law can run their business from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and this has been done at Jefferson City during the pandemic as well.
Justice said we need to work to balance the high tax burden on small businesses. He also said we are struggling to fill jobs in which tradesmen are needed. Justice felt trade school could be encouraged more, rather than requiring or forcing students to go to college. He stated that isn't the best answer for everyone. He stated there are many good paying tradesman jobs in the area.
Bean also agreed about strengthening the infrastructure and the workforce, saying that is what would bring jobs to the area. Cookson offered a rebuttal, saying education has to start moving toward skill-based education. Bean said we need to utilize our vocational schools and also the colleges in the area to train the workforce.
The candidates were then asked about the biggest challenge facing public education.
Justice stated funding was the biggest issue, stating urban schools were struggling. He also said the funding needs to be balanced, saying schools in big cities get $14,000 per student while some schools in our area receive less than $8,000 per student. Justice said he would not be convinced that students in the city are worth more than students in this area.
Bean spoke of how fortunate the 25th district is to have quality teachers. He also stated there is a national teacher shortage and he did not want that here. He also said fully funding the formula was the key. He mentioned the transportation formula was not as fully funded. He stated 10 years ago the transportation formula would cover about 75 percent of the transportation cost for the schools. Now it is about 8 percent. He also said the teachers' retirement did not need to be touched because the teachers had earned it.
Cookson agreed with both Justice and Bean on the funding. He stated public education and educators are the life blood of Missouri's economy. He said schools are a reflection of the societies where they exist. He mentioned specifically the struggling public schools in St. Louis and Kansas City. Cookson said he was passionate about public education.
Justice said there is a lot of talk about combining teacher's retirement with the government program, and he would fight against it. Both Bean and Cookson agreed.
They were asked if they supported school choice.
Bean said he had no problem with charter schools in the city (such as St. Louis) because of the tough situations some of the public schools there face. He said he would fight against charter schools in the 25th district because one charter school could kill multiple public schools in a rural area.
Cookson said school choice is the choice to go to a charter school or private school. He said under certain circumstances after meeting school administrators maybe one or two students could make the move. He went on to say he is against the widespread move to such schools He said he is not for school choice. He said he believed the 10 schools performing the worst in the state are all charter schools.
Justice said we need a student-based environment. He said if we value our students, we need a better way to grade our schools so we know if they are really failing or succeeding. He said every time they want to change how schools are graded, it takes four or five years and this isn't good for the students. He said he agrees with President Trump that school choice has a place, but it has to be done right and it has got to be done with the students' best at heart.
They were asked how they would fight drug and opioid abuse.
Cookson said Missouri was the only state in the union who didn't have a monitoring system for drugs. He said Missouri needs an effective and noninvasive drug monitoring program that protects people's privacy.
He said those people that are doctor shopping and crossing state lines to get different prescriptions filled with different doctors as well as doctors abusing the amount of opiods they prescribe
Justice said the prescription drug program in the works is a step in the right direction but flawed. He also said bad acting physicians needed to be held accountable. The bill will allow law enforcement and pharmaceutical companies to access personal information. Justice wants this restricted to law enforcement only. He said there needs to be teeth-filled penalties for violating an individual's privacy, as well as to not tie the hands of prosecutors.
Bean offered a three-pronged approach. First, educate the youth of opioid use. Second, give social services every available tool to deal with people who are addicted. Third, give the police the necessary tools to deal with these problems.
Cookson agreed with both of Bean's points. Justice also agreed and added some politicians voted for the drug program in a nonelection year and then against it on election years, which he said is not how he would act.
The candidates were asked how to improve Missouri's infrastructure and how to pay for it.
Justice said a creative way must be found to fund transportation. He said limits need to be put on taxes. He said it will take creative ideas and they could not tax the voters to death, saying the voters voted down a gas tax.
Bean agreed with Justice about the tax situation. He said if jobs are brought back to Missouri, it will lead to economic development and a larger tax base.
Cookson also agreed on the taxes. He also agreed in regards to expanding the tax base and being creative with ideas. He said tax bills start out as something everyone can get behind but get loaded up. He said legislation must be cleaner.
They were asked what sets them apart from the other candidates with the final question.
Bean started saying he is a lifelong Southeast Missourian and the only candidate who is a row-crop farmer. He said when he grew up there were no empty store fronts and now there are many. He said he has seen the highs and lows. He said we are facing tough times in Missouri and he is ready to face those challenges.
Cookson said his experience in the legislature sets him apart. He said you need to make sure what you are listening to is relevant to Southeast Missouri. He said he knows the No. 1 industry is agriculture. He said he already has a good relationship with the governor and other colleagues. He said he is a team player because one person cannot get it done and you have to know who to trust.
Justice said he is an economist by training and he believes in the private sector. Wealth is only created in the private sector. He said he believes in small government. He said conservatives are needed in Jefferson City to limit government and he will listen to what the constituents have to say. Justice said honesty and integrity are needed.
Cookson closed by saying he had been to Jefferson City and it is all about money. He said he has been endorsed all eight years he was there by Missouri Right to Life and the NRA. He said he is the only candidate that puts on his literature ad signs that he is a Republican. He said he has no campaign manager and the people are his campaign manager.
Justice said he has made a point during this campaign that he will make only one campaign promise. That is that he will be a present senator. He said he finds it frustrating when someone is elected and disappears until they need your vote again. He said he has never donated to a Democratic candidate because his principles mean a lot to him, and he believes you put your money where your principles are.
Bean closed by saying he appreciated his fellow candidates keeping everything civil during the campaign. He said he is endorsed by Missouri Right to Life and Missourians for Life and is a defender of the Second Amendment. He said he is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of the Police and has the highest rating available from the NRA without holding office. He said he is endorsed by Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Cattlemen. He said he will take the work ethic he uses on his farm to Jeffernson City.