Senate District 6 candidate interview: Rudy Veit
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Rudy Veit has been a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 59th District since 2019. And he is now looking to bring his experience to the State Senate.
Veit is one of the six candidates seeking the Senate District 6 seat after Sen. Mike Bernskoetter’s term is up in January 2027. The state Senate district covers several Mid-Missouri counties, including Cole, Camden, Miller, Moniteau and Morgan.
Veit’s opponents are Amber Buckles, Derrick Spicer, Todd “Ike” Skelton, Lisa Thomas and Jake Vogel.
HALEY SWAINO: What would you like voters to know about you as a person and as a candidate?
RUDY VEIT: One, I’m a conservative, and I believe in protecting our constitutional rights. I’m a father of four children and eight grandchildren. I’m an attorney and have a degree in agricultural economics; I have a broad background. I’ve been in business. But more important, I bring to the organization eight years experience in the House of Representatives, with a law degree and previous experience. I know how to look at bills, look at the collateral consequences, not just vote on bills because they have a nice tone to them or leadership thinks you should.
SWAINO: What do you see as some of the top issues facing Senate District 6, and maybe what specific legislation would you introduce or support to address those issues?
VEIT: Well, what’s affecting District 6 is affecting everybody, and that’s the economy. We’re going to have to, and the budget, because our budget is going to be cut and we’re going to have to figure out ways to manage our expenditures and manage our income, and also to ensure that we still have an economic base to work with. The economy is on everybody’s mind right now, and the passing of Amendment 5 will only increase the cost to the average of my constituents and small businesses as another overhead that we do not need right now.
SWAINO: And how will you balance economic growth within Missouri, while also preserving the quality of life of people living in Missouri communities?
VEIT: Well, one of the things is in any future legislation, if you’re going to have new costs, you ought to define where the revenue’s coming from or what program you’re willing to cut. Everybody wants lower taxes and, but everybody also wants all the benefits. And so we have to balance that out on an ongoing basis. Understand, we cannot provide services for everybody … The thing I hate worse than taxes is passing the debt on down to my kids.
SWAINO: How will you work with legislators from both parties when your constituents’ interests are at stake?
VEIT: Well, I’ve worked with both parties for a long time. You look back on 557, which was the protection of the residential care facility for children. I worked across both party lines to get that passed. Modern-day issues up there are not, should not, be based upon party lines. We need to look at what the bill does, who that affects, and how we can work together, get together, and reach a compromise, or a consensus of what’s best for everyone.
SWAINO: Perfect. And then, because of your time in office, could you maybe give an example of a time you’ve maybe built consensus there on the Capitol?
VEIT: One of the major bills I passed is 557, which was the bill which dealt with residential care facilities where kids are being raped, abused and hard-treated under the guise of just being a religious organization. I brought the religious organizations along with the Republican and Democratic leadership to pass a bill that regulates them, until they provide their primary goal to providing for certain kids or aged care as needed, but put in safeguards so that there’s not such abuse going on and uncontrolled abuse. And that was important enough that HBO did a documentary on it. And I get calls every day from people that, how I changed their lives … and trying to protect it. And a lot of my bills you do have to get across party lines. A lot of them were not political issues. Most of my bills are bills that just keep the state running, and that need consensus from everyone. And we need to keep politics out of it.
SWAINO: How will you stay accountable to the people of District 6, if elected? And how will constituents expect to communicate with you throughout your term?
VEIT: Well, as a lawyer and representing many individuals, I had a cell phone, and I kept my cell phone on 24 hours a day. I had to do that as well as continue. As for my clients, I didn’t do that for my constituents. I’m always available when they call. I return calls, and they want me to show up, to show up all my whole career as an attorney and practicing attorney, I’ve been involved in many, many organizations, from sports to health, to pregnancy health center, heart association, to NRA, and all those different organizations has been my lifestyle. And it doesn’t change anything. I treat my constituents just as I did my clients. I’m now their employee.
SWAINO: Alright. This is a question I’m asking to everybody, and it’s a bit of a broad one. What should Missouri do to address the rising cost of living? Obviously, there’s stuff happening at the federal level, but working with the budget.
VEIT: Well, we need to eliminate what regulations we can. So the cost of unnecessary regulations don’t drive prices up. We need to encourage more small businesses. We need to also provide a good basic education for everybody that they can afford, so that we have a workforce in other industries who want to come here. Workforce shortage is everywhere, and if we show that we have a high-quality workforce and willing to work then business will come.
SWAINO: Then what is your position on state taxes? Would you support raising or lowering them?
VEIT: Amendment 5 isn’t a tax reduction; it’s just a tax reallocation. So that does nothing. I believe that when we look at taxes, if you want to cut a tax, tell me what program you’re going to cut. So we’re not, we keep a balanced budget. If you want to freeze a program, tell me where you’re getting the revenue or what program you’re going to cut to get a revenue. Openness in all the affairs, openness in all of our action, to show what they truly are doing on the budget. And that is the only way you’re going to balance the budget is not just cut a tax here, cut a tax here, and then have unlimited new programs. They have to offset each other.
SWAINO: Why are you the best candidate for this seat?
VEIT: I have a very broad background. I’ve been involved in community activities my whole life. I’ve been, and I can read the bills and understand the bills.I have eight years of experience. I just didn’t say, ‘Okay, I won’t be a senator.’ No, I took the route of going with the House of Representatives so I could learn the ropes in that … And I am also one of the few people that will stand up to establish money when I think something is fundamentally wrong. And that’s why I voted no on Amendment 5. I was one of three Republicans who voted. And I had to protect the constitutional rights of individuals to have, to prevent us from having unlimited taxes on services, sales tax and anything. And also the spending of the Hancock Amendment, all on the promise of, ‘Trust me,’ and not any clear definition of what we’re going to do.
I had the ability to read the bill and study the bill. Even if we pass it, I don’t think we’re going to get the job done because this, ‘thou shalt reduce federal state income tax.’ It doesn’t say what happens if we don’t. Get to those other procedural rules that are not being worked out: the first bill, when it came to the Senate, came out of the House. It had that ‘thou shall pass.’ It was in there, but also said, if we don’t, this is what’s going to happen. None of that is in the amendment anymore. And so it is an open-ended amendment. It says trust me, and we’re going to be not a tax reduction but a tax increase for most, and most of my constituents, and a real problem for our small businesses. And they’re now going to have to keep another set of books if they’re going to collect for all the services and that. It’s more regulations, more costs. We haven’t been addressed how, what it’s gonna cost the state to implement a whole new taxing system.
SWAINO: This is a question I’ve kind of been asking everybody. I’ve been talking to you, you’re obviously coming near the end of your campaign now and have been able to get your message out. What’s one thing you wish people would ask you about that you want voters to know about you before they head to the polls? This may be a question you don’t get asked often that you want to share.
VEIT: Well, my background and activities I’ve done in the community. I have been a supporter of sports, every activity. My whole life has been volunteering. My whole life has been supporting parish picnics, 4-H, FFA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, pregnancy help center, … sports, I’ve sponsored numerous ball teams and numerous organizations, and just wherever I can to help. I believe we all have time, talent and treasure to give. May not be the same, but we can all get the same thing. We’ve got to give something. And I have had it with my running for Senate. I’ve had the time, I’ve got the talent, and public education and good education. It’s time for me to give back.
SWAINO: And then last question here. If you want to look at the camera for this one, I can turn this down. Some voters who, you know, may still not be sure how they want to cast their vote. What would you tell them about you as they head to the ballot box?
VEIT: I am one who will stand up for my constituents. Voting no on Amendment 5 came at a cost and under a lot of pressure. I stood up to that cost. The same thing on Amendment 4. I stood up to that, and knowing that there would be consequences. But I was willing to vote my conscience, and I was willing to pay the price. And I don’t need someone telling me on Capitol Hill that it’s a bad bill when I can read the bill as well as anyone. I’ve litigated bills, I’ve been in trial on bills. And I can treat, and I believe in treating my constituents just as I did my clients. They come first and have to. Therefore, I’m their employee, and I have to support them.
After filming and before ABC 17’s Haley Swaino left the interview, Veit asked to add one more statement.
“I also want to tell my constituents, our people, that I am conservative and that that is validated by the endorsement of our U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, Rep. Willard Haley, Rep. Dave Griffith, Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, the Sheriffs Association, NRA rated A, and every school organization has supported me and endorsed me. Every public school and every public school organization has endorsed me and supports me. And I also have the endorsement of our late [former] Sen. Larry Rohrbach, who has always been known for being conservative,” Veit said.
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