In Their Own Words: Jay Ashcroft, Republican Candidate for Governor

Editor’s Note: The Springfield Daily Citizen invited the top five candidates for governor of Missouri to submit an op-ed about why they’re seeking the job. Invitations were sent to Republicans Jay Ashcroft, Bill Eigel and Mike Kehoe, as well as Democrats Mike Hamra and Crystal Quade. Kehoe’s campaign did not respond by deadline. Essays appear in the order they were received and have been lightly edited for grammar, style and clarity. The primary election is Aug. 6. Click here to read all of our coverage of the race for governor.

OPINION|

It has been an honor to serve as your Secretary of State for the past eight years. I campaigned on a platform of voter integrity in 2016, before it became one of the most talked about issues in the country, and I am proud that during my tenure we have made Missouri one of the best states in the country for voter integrity.

My office made photo IDs a law for all Missouri voters to ensure that only those legally eligible to vote participate in our elections. We banned ballot drop boxes to ensure that no one tries to rig the system and change the outcome. We banned the use of private money to fund election operations (called “Zuckerbucks”) because our elections must be free from any outside influence. And when the Biden administration tried to send armed federal agents into our state to police our elections, I turned them back. Missourians are able to run our own elections without federal interference or oversight.

As the office that oversees the state’s libraries and archives, I have implemented new rules requiring that age-inappropriate materials be kept away from children in our taxpayer-funded libraries. My office also oversees the securities industry, and I have also implemented new rules requiring investors to be notified when their investments and pension funds are invested in woke Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) products, rather than in products that provide the highest returns to retirees.

I also worked with the legislature to draft legislation that would prohibit the sale of land in Missouri to China, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela or Cuba. Unfortunately, the politicians in Jefferson City failed to pass the bill, but as governor it will be a priority.

Missouri is one of the most Republican states in the country, but that’s often hard to tell. Despite every statewide office being held by a Republican and Republican supermajorities in both the House and Senate, the Legislature and governor have failed to enact a number of priorities while nearly doubling state government spending from $28 billion to $51 billion in just five years. That’s not conservative.

I am running for governor to make Missouri an example of conservative leadership, not a failure of Republican leadership. The time for excuses is over, it is time for results.

I have laid out an ambitious reform agenda, the Red Print, which you can view on my website. I am an engineer, and engineers fix things. I am the only candidate who has laid out a policy agenda, and it will be the road map I use to improve the quality of life for every Missourian, make our state a destination for businesses, workers and families, and cut spending and taxes so our residents have more take-home pay to make their own decisions about what is important to their families.

The first job of government is to keep people safe. That’s why my first priority as governor is to hire 1,000 new police officers in my first year. St. Louis is now the most violent city in America, and Kansas City is not far behind. And while violent and property crime remain a problem overall, the mayors of those cities have failed to prioritize the people they represent. As governor, I will ensure that the state takes control of the St. Louis Police Department and maintains control of the Kansas City Police Department.

I will also phase out the state income tax. I don’t like taxing those who work to give benefits to those who don’t. It’s unfair and discourages productivity. I’ve assembled a task force of some of America’s leading tax reform experts who will work with me to figure out how we can most effectively replace that revenue in a way that expands our economy, broadens our tax base, and puts people before corporations.

I will also repeal the 12.5 cent gas tax increase that Mike Kehoe supported in 2021. In a state that nearly doubled spending in five years, the revenue needed for infrastructure investments already exists, and Missouri taxpayers don’t deserve another burden to make ends meet in an economy struggling with record inflation.

One of the other primary responsibilities of state government is education, but we are failing our children with outdated models that fund systems instead of students. I want to put parents in charge of their children’s futures instead of bureaucrats. No one loves their children more than their parents, and they have the right to set educational priorities. Educational freedom means just that, freedom, and I want to give Missouri families choices.

Spending in our state is out of control and bankruptcy is not far off if we don’t get our finances in order. That’s why I plan to use zero-based budgeting and require every department and agency to defend every dollar of taxpayer money to make decisions based on need. This is not government money, it’s the people’s money, and they deserve the services they pay for, not more government programs and benefits.

Missouri was once one of our nation’s great economic engines, but complacency and a lack of vision have kept us from reaching our potential. We can attract people from across the country to restore our greatness, but that starts with leaders who are willing to lead and have the ideas to move us forward.

I hope you will consider me as your next governor on August 6. I am prepared to lead and have a vision for our future that will lift every Missourian and make us the envy of the nation.