Spence enters 25th district race

By Andrew Denney

Published Feb. 22, 2008

State Auditor spokesman Sean Spence embarked Thursday on his campaign for state representative of Missouri’s 25th district. He became the third Democrat to enter the race to fill the seat that Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia, is leaving to pursue a seat in the U.S. House.

Thursday evening at The Pasta Factory in downtown Columbia, Spence gathered with friends and supporters to discuss some of his platform issues that he said include assuring Missourians are “educated, employed and insured.”

Spence said MU is the number one economic driver of the state, and that the current legislature has been “combative at best” in dealing with the UM system’s flagship university.

“I firmly believe the future of Missouri is dependent on the future of MU,” Spence said. “I view MU as a commodity.”

Spence, who is an MU graduate and was involved with the Missouri Students Association while a student, said supporting the university not only involves securing government appropriations, but also protecting the ability of the university to conduct “world-class” research.

Spence discussed his plans for the state’s economic futures, which includes workforce development programs, and also discussed his plans for health care.

Senior Mark Buhrmester, who serves on Spence’s campaign steering committee, said he likes the emphasis that Spence has placed on students in his campaign and that his campaign has utilized certain environmental sustainability practices that he found attractive, such as an Internet server that uses alternative fuel and use of recycled paper.

MU political science professor Herbert Tillema said he endorses Spence, his former pupil, without hesitation.

“He’s completely and honestly committed to public service,” Tillema said.

Ken Jacob, who serves as Spence’s campaign treasurer, said Spence was “the best guy for the job.”

“To me, there’s a certain personality type that makes a good legislator,” Jacob said. “Sean has that personality type. He has absolute self-confidence and he knows the legislative process.”

Jacob met Spence while Jacob was a state representative for the 25th district and Spence worked for him as an intern.

Spence has been campaigning for weeks. At times, he said, he was campaigning on “shoe leather.” He has been going door-to-door in Columbia to promote his candidacy.

Mary Still, a former staffer for Attorney General Jay Nixon and former Gov. Bob Holden, as well as the MU News Bureau, announced Feb. 13 that she would run for the seat. Columbia resident Bob Pund, an activist for disability-related issues, announced in January that he would run.

Baker is vacating the seat to campaign for the Ninth U.S. Congressional district of Missouri. The seat opened when U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., announced his intention to run for governor.