Category: kmiz-local-news

Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The son of late State Sen. Carl Vogel is hoping to make his mark in the Missouri Capitol come January.

Jake Vogel believes bringing his unique business experience to the Senate floor can drive positive change for the Show-Me State.

He is one of the six candidates seeking the Senate District 6 seat after Senator 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.

Vogel’s opponents are Amber Buckles, Derrick Spicer, Todd “Ike” Skelton, Lisa Thomas and Rudy Veit.

HALEY SWAINO: What would you like voters to know about you as a person and also as a candidate?

JAKE VOGEL: Well, as a person, I was born and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri, graduated high school, Jefferson City High School in 2001. Went to college, St. Louis University, and freshman year was 9/11. So that had a profound impact on my life, and therefore, that stuck with me through college. And afterwards, graduating college, I chose, I wanted to enlist. So I enlisted in the military, U.S. Army, and I got a first, I became a first Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment. I did two combat tours as an assault sniper. So, therefore, what my job was, is I protected the ground force on the ground. And they trusted their lives with me. So, God willing, I made it back. 

And I was blessed to come back. I was, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I was actually given this contract to work overseas. Money dried up with the [defense contractors] Triple Canopy and Blackwater. So still looking for adventure. And then I ended up coming back and very blessed to be in family business. I’m a fifth-generation Coca-Cola franchisee, and I say that with pride because we must be doing something right here. We take care of our people. We have a lot of good tenured employees and a good team that keeps the lights on.

For me, I can serve the community. I consider myself a community servant. We actually cover a swath of Central Missouri, and four out of these counties, four out of five of the counties we’re running in, which is Cole, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan and Camden, we service four out of those five. So we have relationships with nonprofits, charity organizations, and a lot of school districts. So I built those relationships. Our guys have built those relationships, and I want to carry those on. And if I can get back to not only Senate District 6 and bring the mentality of taking care of people and building relationships, I think that’s what the Missouri Senate needs more of. I’m looking forward to doing that — making Missouri a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

SWAINO: First, thank you so much for your service. Next question here. What do you see as some of the top issues facing Senate District 6? And then what specific legislation would you introduce or support to help those issues?

VOGEL: Some of the top? Affordability’s a problem. And you go around talking to people, everything’s so expensive. Yes, obviously that’s a problem. I cannot blow smoke and say, ‘Oh, gas prices.’ There’s a lot of factors play into gas, but we did have a gas tax that I wouldn’t have voted for back in the day. People need relief where we can give them relief. I’m a small family business guy. I don’t like bureaucracy and regulation. I think sometimes our legislature has made it too complicated to start a small business. Business and competitive competition is good and helps. Just like supply and demand. It lowers pricing; it helps the consumer have options. Everything is so corporate now, including our industry. So if we were to stop, they close this place down tomorrow, and it’d be run from a big city. So anything I can protect those people to thrive, be prosperous without over licensure issues, that’s what I want to do.

SWAINO: How will you balance economic growth here in Missouri while also preserving the quality of life for people who live in Missouri communities?

VOGEL: Well, it’s a fine line, right? With the budget, it’s tough. I’m a fiscal conservative. So I want to go up to the Missouri Senate and legislature, and I want to look at it from a business lens. I’m the only business guy in this field that knows how to sign both sides of a paycheck. I think we need more business people. How to balance the budget? You can’t just send money out the door everywhere. We have to be fiscally responsible. After all, the COVID money’s dried up. We need to get back to pre-2020 spending.

SWAINO: How would you work with legislators from both parties when your constituents’ interests are at stake?

VOGEL: That’s another thing I take pride in, that skill set. So yeah, I’ll talk to anyone. I run this campaign on being respectful, honest and accessible. I know I’m in it. You know, primaries can be very cutthroat to get to the finish line. It’s unfortunate our politics has become this. I think people are tired of doom and gloom out there. We have, that’s another one of the things I always speak about. We have a statewide majority since 2012 in the legislature, or no state majority since 2012 in the legislature, statewide, since 2018.  My job is to go out there and build relationships so we can maintain that conservative majority. But we spend so much time inter-party fighting, and I think we need to get along. That’s how stuff is done, building relationships in the Capitol. And if we go up there and just I’m not about ego grandstanding — if you go up there and throw sand in the gears, you’re about yourself. And that’s not what I think the people are electing you to do.

SWAINO: Next question here. How will you stay accountable to the people of District 6, if elected? How will also constituents expect to be able to keep communication with you?

VOGEL: Good question. Obviously, social media is free, but I’m old school. I’m a boots-on-the-ground guy with being a former military guy. I want to be present throughout the five counties in the district. I want to show up to the parish picnics, or church fundraisers, or events, or historical society. Every which fundraiser, fairs, everything. I like to be there in person because face-to-face is always better than text. And what we see every day — text and a lot of people hitting the keyboard. Pick up the phone and be accessible. That’s what I’m all about.

SWAINO: Awesome. What should Missouri do — this is a question I’m asking everybody — to maybe address the cost of living? It’s a compounded question, but.

VOGEL: First we, it’s a tough thing. I understand once the money’s out of the bag and special, all the big money is gone. Everybody expects the same amounts of revenue. We are, it is a budgetary crisis, but that doesn’t affect, our constituency doesn’t care about what the internal workings are in the Capitol in the budget. We have to, again, we have to bring money back to the people in the most fiscally responsible way we can do it. And I’m not about making promises and saying, ‘Hey, if we’re going to do it up there, let’s have some backbone.’ We say we’re going to give, whether it’s education formula or certain entities or nonprofits, if we’re going to say we’re going to give money, we need to be honest, try to get the money, instead of, ‘Oh, we’ll get you,’ and cut, cut, cut. We just have to practice what we preach. And be honest there.

SWAINO: And what is your position on state taxes? Would, are you against lowering them? Raising them? What’s your stance on that?

VOGEL: I’m about lowering cutting taxes in every which way. Therefore, I’ll speak to this. I spoke to some folks last night at a forum, and I know it is a bold plan, but currently the Republican Party in the legislature has worked the income tax down. I know it is bold, but I, it’s a plan. And everyone, all of my constituents, they’re hurting out there.

Property tax. A lot of people say we don’t trust the legislature. And I say, and carte blanche, open taxes. And I say, ‘Well, we’ve had the income tax for 100 years. I don’t trust them either. I’ve never been up there, but fine to go up there.’ And in this bill, “Hancock” is protected, and there is guardrails. It is a chance. And you know what? It forces every county in the state of Missouri to drop property taxes as the tax system diversifies and is modernized to consumption tax, which I think is more of a fair tax.

Now, I would also say it’s political suicide. If you’re going to go out, slap taxes on everybody, that’s not my intention. Seniors, health care, real estate and agriculture — exempt. So it is a plan. And if the plan doesn’t work in the five years in a responsible fashion, in that five years, we’ll go back to the income tax. So I’m about chance; I’m taking the risk to move our state forward because it has been stagnant growth. We went from 16 congressional seats to eight… I’m about the future. And what we’ve had for the past hundred years, I think, is antiquated. It hasn’t moved us forward.

SWAINO: Gotcha. Why are you the best candidate for this seat?

VOGEL: Just my background, I believe. I consider myself a community servant, being engaged in the community, giving back through our products, and everything we can do to help out the schools, whether it be scoreboards. And again, I’m, I sell Coca-Cola for a living, so it’s an open, happy refreshment. So that’s how we survive in the community with the relationships that we are proud that we have built. And then my military skill set, again, people trusted their life with me, and that was my job. So I parlayed that, and taking care of the guys here, I have worked with all types of guys from every walk of life here in business and in the military. I served with people from all different types of backgrounds all over the country, so I have a knack for building relationships and taking care of people.

SWAINO: Getting to the end of the campaign trail here, you’ve obviously been to a couple of candidate forums, of course. What may be something that you don’t get asked to talk about often, that you wish voters knew about your stance, or just headed to the, headed to the ballot box? Something you wish they knew.

VOGEL: You know, I’m kind of an old school. I’m not a, I’m not an activist, not a bureaucrat, nor, everyone uses the word career politician. I’m not one; I’ve never held office. My father held office back in the day. I say that with pride for the folks who may have known him. I run the campaign. It’s me we’re talking about. He’s passed away, but he was my largest mentor of how he operated. I don’t need to grandstand, put my name on all the bills, and I want to get things done quietly. Or if I have to put my name on, I will. But he did things the quiet way. I want to do more of this and less of this. I see a lot of politicians now, and that’s kind of one of the reasons why I wanted to run; we’re lacking these community-oriented people. People yell. They always say the word fight. I don’t even like to use that word … I have fought overseas, so I just want to get things accomplished. And I’m just, I like to be called a community servant.

SWAINO: Awesome. And then last question here. Just if you want to talk to the viewers directly, what is one last thing, just message to them as they’re, if they’re maybe not sure how they want to cast their vote when they’re headed to the ballot box. What do you want them to know?

VOGEL: Well, like I said, I’m basically like your next-door neighbor. I’m a family man. I’m a husband, father. I’m a veteran, and I’m a small businessman. And I believe that an open dialog, being respectful, honest and accessible, and that’s how we drive as a communities, long as we respect each other and keep in touch. I’m a face-to-face person.  I’m available anytime, and I look forward to making Missouri a better place, too. And bringing growth to the state of Missouri. A rising tide lifts all boats. I will do everything possible to bring more economic development or opportunity for people, so we can retain jobs, better job opportunities for our younger generations, so we can retain our children and our grandchildren for the future. Any type of opportunity or plan, I’m willing to entertain it and take the movement forward. I’m looking at now and forward.

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Haley Swaino

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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Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Psychiatrist and former member of the Missouri House of Representatives, Lisa Thomas, wants to return to the Capitol Building in January.

She believes her experience serving from 2021 to 2025 and her background in health will help get important issues addressed in the Senate for Mid-Missourians.

Thomas 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.

Thomas’ opponents are Amber Buckles, Derrick Spicer, Todd “Ike” Skelton, Rudy Veit and Jake Vogel.

HALEY SWAINO: What would you like voters to know about you as a person and also as a candidate?

LISA THOMAS: Well, sure. I’m a lifelong Missourian. I’m a Christian constitutional conservative. Republican Trump supporter from the escalator on down. And I am a psychiatrist by training. So, a medical doctor. I’m the only medical doctor running for the Sixth District. And I think that’s pretty important since we’ve got that nonpartisan issue that touches everybody, which is healthcare and mental healthcare. We need affordable, accessible and top-quality healthcare. I’m primed and ready to lead that effort to make sure we have that available for all Missourians.

SWAINO: What do you see as the top issues facing Senate District 6, and also what specific legislation would you maybe introduce or support to address those issues?

THOMAS: Well, definitely the issue of affordability, just in general, and our taxing structure, our spending problem. I guess first and foremost, the legislature absolutely has a spending problem. Because we need to get that under control with our priorities and also clawing back waste, fraud and abuse, which will swell our coffers. Then we can look at taxing structures and making the cuts that we need to make because we just can’t fund every program. But we do not want to leave vulnerable individuals without services. So we have to be smart about how we spend the dollars that we have. Just like all families have to watch their pocketbook, and they make choices. So the legislature and the government needs to do the same thing. We can’t do everything. We need to make the right choices.

SWAINO: That leads well into my next question. How will you balance economic growth in the Show-Me State while also preserving the quality of life for people living in communities?

THOMAS: Well, we need to make Missouri what it already is — the Show-Me State. And it should be attractive to all. We are the best state in our union by far, so that being said, we have to have policies that encourage business to come here and the businesses that are here to stay here. We want to incentivize families to not only stay here, but when their children graduate from school or other relatives are looking at places to go, that they come and stay here because we want to be strong, but we need to maintain the folks that we have and be proud of Missouri.

Our policies, too, as I said, help not drain resources either from businesses or from families. So we don’t want to overtax. I stood against the pressures that were trying to get us to vote for the gas tax. And I said, no, that’s going to harm families. I will be voting no on Amendment 5 because, again, that’s shifting our burden to, to the lower income, and also to working families and those on fixed incomes. Like I said, get our budget and our spending under control before we do policy testing, policy changes. And we also want to know what are the details. As a Republican, I definitely prefer reduction or elimination of any and all taxes. But we’re the Show-Me State, show me the plan. And in Amendment 5, that plan is missing in action.

SWAINO: How would you work with legislators from both parties when your constituent interests are at stake?

THOMAS: Well, again, as the only physician in this race, healthcare is a bipartisan issue. It affects everybody. Another issue that I’m passionate about is boating and water safety. A life jacket doesn’t care what party you belong to, but it’s going to save your life, doesn’t care what your gender is. It doesn’t care who you voted for or what church you belong to. But again, it’s something that we should get behind. And there’s a variety of boating and water safety topics. But again, they touch everybody. So, for one thing, as I said, I want to work across the aisle because these things affect everybody, and we don’t need to constantly divide. Diversity is not a bad word. We can come together. There’s more that unites us than divides us. And I would like to be that person. As a physician, I treat everybody. As a legislator, everybody that’s in my district is my constituent. The entire state is my constituent. And I would like to be in the Senate to represent that and to move us forward.

SWAINO: How will you stay accountable to the people of District 6, if elected? And how can constituents expect to communicate with you throughout the term?

THOMAS: Obviously, through my office, having been in the state House before, you know, you have to have a staff, you have phones, you have email, text. I give out my number. I don’t mind being interrupted seven days a week whenever I’m out and about with people. Matter of fact, the most important part of the job is constituent services. Because we’re hired by the people to represent them. Legislating is much less important. And so staying in touch, we have all sorts of new technology. But you know, the old tried and true conversation. There you go. And like I said, happy to talk to anybody, anywhere, any time. That’s what it’s all about.

SWAINO: I asked this question to everybody, and it’s a bit broad, and also, of course, things at the federal level have to work out. But what should Missouri do to help address the rising cost of living?

THOMAS: Well, again, I was against the gas tax. We have some options of rolling that back, whether that’s temporary or permanent. Voting against Amendment 5, because I am concerned that that will be a tax shift from the wealthy to those of lesser means. Again, with no guardrails, getting rid of the Hancock Amendment. So the protections that should be there. That’s scary. Go back to the drawing board, work on that plan again. Get our spending under control. Like you said, reduce, eliminate and claw back the waste fraud and abuse. We don’t want to be Minnesota or California. But you know what? This state has waste, fraud and abuse. To bring that back under control, it’s going to swell our coffers. There’s a number of other things we can do, but that would be the first to start with.

SWAINO: Why are you the best candidate for this seat?

THOMAS: Well, again, I’m the only physician, so I understand healthcare, health, mental health and social services. That constitutes an enormous part of our annual state budget. I’ve had boots on the ground experience, so I don’t just say we need to lower healthcare costs. That’s a big duh. What I can do is tell you we can do this, this and this today, and we can absolutely impact our costs. We need to negotiate a reasonable tort reform that’s going to lower individual and government healthcare costs tomorrow. We have a group of providers, the only ones by statute; we can tell them where to practice, and guess where that is? Rural and underserved communities. Bingo. That’s what we need to do. We need to be the welcoming state for that group of practitioners. Bring them in. Get them to work. We need to make sure that we have pricing transparency on drugs so that we can have the lowest cost. We need PBMs [pharmacy benefit managers] to be clear about what they’re doing. We need to protect the doctor-patient relationship. Government shouldn’t be interfering. You and your doctor should make decisions about your own healthcare and not be told you have to do this or that. That’s going to help. I can go on and on for the rest of the day if you’d like.

SWAINO: My next question here, you know, nearing the end of the campaign here in just a couple of weeks. What may be something in candidate forums or just throughout the campaigning that you haven’t been asked that you want people to know about you? It could be an issue you’re passionate about, something about yourself.

THOMAS: That’s a question, you’re right, I haven’t been asked. I haven’t even thought about that. I think maybe why I love Missouri so much. I was born and raised here. As I said, we’re often referred to as flyover country. And at a certain level, I’m okay with that because we don’t necessarily want everyone moving here, but we want to be the best state, which we already are. And we don’t have to tell everyone. We have the most beautiful geography. We have every opportunity you could possibly want. We do have great schools, and we’re willing to work in the areas where we do have problems. We admit that we’re not perfect. And to me, that’s critical. We are where people that work hard, we play hard, we love our neighbors, we do the right thing. We basically follow the golden rule. And I’d like to think we’re a shining example of what a community and a state should be. And I want to protect that and move it forward.

SWAINO: Last question here. If you want to talk directly to voters, if there are some people who are maybe still on the fence, they’re not sure where they want to cast their vote. What’s your final message to them as a friend?

THOMAS: Well, again, please vote for Dr. Lisa Thomas. I am a psychiatrist. I understand health, healthcare, mental healthcare, social services. Again, I am a champion for boating and water safety. I will protect your liberties and your God-given rights. I’ve been a legislator, so I bring that understanding to the Capitol so we can get ready and right down to business day one. I don’t have to learn the system, and I am passionate about just making sure that everybody has a voice and that we move Missouri forward. And I would very much appreciate your support. Thank you very much.

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Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Jefferson City councilman and owner of PMI hotels, Derrick Spicer, says he’s not a career politician, but that no one will fight for Mid-Missourians like he will.

Spicer 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.

Spicer’s opponents are Amber Buckles, Todd “Ike” Skelton, Lisa Thomas, Rudy Veit and Jake Vogel.

HALEY SWAINO: Would you like to let me know about yourself as a person and as a candidate?

SPICER: Well, as a person, I’m not a political insider. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. Everything I have is what I worked for my whole life. And I’m actually running for the constituents of District 6.

I grew up in Jefferson City here. I was born in Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. I was an Army brat. Dad was in the military, kind of moved around and ended up here in the third grade. So I’ve been here most of my life. I’ve been married for 32 years this next week. I have two children. Daughter is 31, and my son’s 26 going on about 14. I’m in the hotel business. Actually been in the hotel business, small business owner for quite a while. I spent four years on the Jeff City Council, which I enjoyed my time. I just want to continue to serve. I want to serve the people. And like I said, we get one chance to make a change. And this is going to be because, I mean, a lot of people don’t understand what goes into this. I mean, I’ve been campaigning for a little over two years now, and I’m tired. I got about eight days left, and I cannot wait.

And, you know, I’m actually a guy that for the people. I mean, I’m a guy that don’t have to do this. I’m doing this for us to have a voice at the Capitol, and hopefully it’ll all pan out in eight days. I work for PMI Hotels, which is a group out of, I mean, it’s a, we got about 17 hotels. We own the Courtyard in Jefferson City, the Fairfield, and got a few other hotels around here and some in Omaha, Nebraska. I also work for the Missouri Office of Athletics, which is professional boxing, which I’ve been in most of my life, 40, 41 years. So, you know, I just, like I said, I just want to serve. And like I said, I’m not a public, you know, I’m not a, I’m not a political insider. So just want to, I just want to offer, I’m the people’s choice.

SWAINO: My next question here for you. What do you see as the top issues facing Senate District 6, and what maybe specific legislation would you support or introduce to address some of those issues? 

SPICER: Well, I think right now the issues that’re going on right now is the budget. I mean, you know, I think the state is stagnant. You know, the state is going to be in real trouble here if we don’t get that budget balanced. You know, I think it’s going to be a situation. I think the overspending that’s going on right now in our state is just wasteful. I just think we need to, we got to, get a grip on that.

SWAINO: Alright. How will you balance economic growth within the Show-Me State while also preserving the quality of life for people who live in Missouri communities?

SPICER: Well, you know, it kind of goes to the income tax. You know, you think about income tax. Getting rid of the income tax, which I’m not a rocket scientist when it comes to that stuff. But, you know, Missouri’s been stagnant for a long time. You know, we’re not really growing. And if you look at all the other states that have had the the income tax removed for a long time, they’re growing. I mean, there’s job after job that these, you know, individuals can get. I just don’t think Missouri is growing like it should be. We should be booming here in Missouri, because Missouri is a beautiful state.

SWAINO: How would you work with legislators from both parties when your constituents’ interests are at stake?

SPICER: I think you have to work with everybody. I mean, you can’t just be one-minded or one-sided. You’re going to have to work with every single group. I mean, I just think, and I’ll be honest, which, I just think the lobbyists are too involved. I just think that, you know, we get a lot more done, if it wasn’t for having to deal with … lobbyists that are involved and want more for these big interest groups and all this stuff. I mean, when are we going to focus on our own people? You know, our own people in Missouri?

SWAINO: How would you stay accountable to the people of District 6, if elected? And then how can constituents expect to stay in communication with you during your term?

SPICER: Well, I’ve always been a call me on the phone. I’ve always been an open door. I mean, I even when I was on the city council, I mean, even with my job today, I mean, I work 24/7, seven days a week. I mean, I don’t know anything different. And I’m always available. You know, you could see I always communicated with you. I always try to.

I just think that that they’ll never have another candidate like myself because I, if I do something, I am fully ahead of speed. So I just think that, you know, you got to be willing to, and I want people to understand that, if elected, you have an open door with me at the Capitol because that’s who’s voted mein, I mean I’m working for them. I’m not working for everybody else. And, you know, what’s the best thing about my campaign, is all the money I’ve raised, I raise myself. I don’t owe anybody nothing besides my constituents of District 6. Let’s focus on them first, and then we’ll focus on other stuff that’s going on in Missouri.

SWAINO: My next question here, one I’ve asked everybody. It’s obviously stuff that also works out at the federal level, but what should Missouri do to address the rising cost of living? 

SPICER: Well, that’s a good question. The rising costs is going on everywhere. You know, Missouri is, I mean, it’s not just here. It’s just, I think at the federal level, where we don’t really have any control over it, we do the best we can do. That’s what I was kind of talking about are things are rising. And I think that eventually it will get better because I think President Trump is, he’s another guy that’s actually for the people. And I think eventually things are going to go back to normal. I think it’s just going to take some time.

And with good leadership in here in Missouri, and eventually Governor Kehoe, Governor Kehoe is doing a great job. And, you know, I think it’s going to continue to take good leadership to get them costs down because it is tough on families and people working two jobs and trying to make it. I mean, I’m a middle-class person myself so, and I know what hard work is. So I just think eventually, I don’t like paying $4 a gallon for gas, just like everyone else has to do. So we do need to get costs down. Whatever we have to do to do that, we need to. And I just think it like I said, it takes good leadership at the Capitol, and I think there’s some good senators over there right now. And I think eventually in the next four years, I think you’re going to see a big turn.

SWAINO: You spoke a little bit to this already, but what is your position on state taxes? Would you support raising or lowering them?

SPICER: I would support lowering state taxes. 

SWAINO: You want to elaborate on why at all? 

SPICER: Well, I mean, I’m for no taxes. You know, I don’t think we should be paying a lot of taxes myself. I mean, I know we have to have taxes to survive. You know, I just think that sometimes it’s overboard. You know, = I always worry about the middle class and other people, too, because if you raise taxes, it’s just like on Amendment 5, I don’t have any say so on Amendment 5. That’s why it’s called the people, you know, go to the people for a vote. I get to vote just like they do, you know. But  I just think that we need to, we have to be able to lower taxes because if you look at our tax system right now, it’s so outdated. And it needs to be updated. And I just think, like I said before, we’ve just been so stagnant for so long, and I think with Amendment 5, if you don’t take chances, how would you know how we would be down the road? You know, I just, like I said, I just, it’s a situation that I don’t have, it ain’t my decision. That’s what I love about it — it’s going to the people, and they can make their voice heard.

SWAINO: Why are you the best candidate for this seat?

SPICER: I’m the best candidate for this seat because I’m actually for the constituents of District 6, because I’m one of them. And I want people to understand that everywhere in the district is just as important to me as the people in Jefferson City. I’m not a part of the establishment. I am, I’m me. And I’ve been a fighter my whole life. And I, I want to continue to fight for the district and, you know, it’s, I just think that it’s a situation where I have an opportunity to serve the people. And like I said before and earlier, I don’t have to do this. I said I’m doing this because they’re going to get one chance in eight days to make a change. And I’m the change. If they want the same old crap, I’m not your guy. So if they want somebody that’s going to be actually for them, then I will get elected in eight days.

SWAINO: Nearing the end of the long campaign trail, like you said, is there anything throughout your campaign, throughout, you know, candidate forums that maybe you don’t get asked that you want people to know about yourself or your stance on something you as a person?

SPICER: Just a lot of people don’t really know my life. They don’t know what I went through. You know, I’ve done a, I do a lot of charity work. I do a lot. You know, I have a really close friend, Ozzie Smith in Saint Louis, and we do a lot of do a lot of charity stuff with them. I mean, I’ve done a lot in the past with Boys and Girls Club and everything. I’ve always been a person that’s given back. And, you know, I’ll always give more than I’ll ever receive in my life. And I’m good with that. I’m good with that. So I felt like God put me on this Earth, you know, and He, you know, I feel like He has a plan for me. I feel like He’s been pushing me to run here. And if that’s God’s plan, then I’ll get elected next week.

And, you know, it’s been a great journey, though. I mean, it’s been a tiresome journey. But I’ve met some good people along the way. I mean, you definitely find out who your friends are in this business, that’s for sure. But, you know, I kind of just wish people would know more about who they’re voting for, find out if it’s a person that you want to support. Maybe look into their history and what they’ve done and the community work and things they’ve done for different things. I mean, I think your character means everything. And it does to me. I mean, my character means everything to me. And I just think that people get into politics for the wrong reasons. And I’m actually a person that’s in it for the right reasons. So, but they only get one chance, and it’s coming in eight days because it will not be another run if I don’t win.

SWAINO: Last question here, then, for some voters who may still be on the fence, not sure about where they’re going to cast their vote, what would your final message to them as they head to the ballot boxes here soon?

SPICER: Well, I just think, like I said before, I think that people need to understand that we’ve never had another candidate like myself. I mean, a lot of people are already bought before they even get in there. Well, I’ve never been a yes man in my life and I’m not going to be. And I just want people to understand that, you know, I know who I am. I would love for you to know who I am. And I want you to know that there’s no other candidate out there that will fight for you like I will. I would love to have your vote Aug. 4.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The mother of a Harrisburg student who was killed in a crash last month in Iowa has filed a lawsuit against the youth’s father’s employer.

Robert Orton, 14, was killed on June 3 when a 2015 Kenworth truck driven by Michael Orton, 38, of Palmyra, Missouri, crossed tracks in front of a train on Highway 21 in Poweshiek County, according to an Iowa State Patrol crash report. Michael Orton was injured in the crash.

The crash happened near Victor, Iowa, between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, previous reporting shows.

Emily Phillippe, the youth’s mother, filed a lawsuit on Monday in Boone County against Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners, Inc.

The petition claims Sydenstricker owned the truck and “owed Plaintiff and others a duty to exercise the highest degree of care in operation of the 2015 Kenworth.”

“Michael James Orton operated the 2015 Kenworth through the course and scope of his agency with Defendant Sydenstricker at the time of the collision, therefore, Defendant Sydenstricker is vicariously liable for Michael James Orton’s actions,” the lawsuit alleges.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

More than 13% of cyclosporiasis cases in Missouri are located in Boone County.

The latest state data that was updated on Sunday shows that 593 cases of the diarrhea-inducing disease have been reported in the state.

As of Monday afternoon, 79 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in Boone County, according to Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services spokesman Austin Krohn. There were 53 cases in the county reported this past Tuesday.

The FDA announced on Friday that it is investigating iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico that was recalled by Taylor Farms.

“On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update about a false positive sample collected at the border. To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” a release from the FDA’s website says. “FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms from growers in central Mexico. We encourage the public to continue to avoid all products listed in Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.”

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Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri’s Sixth Senate District has been represented by Republican Mike Bernskoetter since 2019. As his time serving Camden, Cole, Miller, Moniteau and Morgan counties comes to an end due to term limits, voters have six Republican hopefuls vying to fill the seat.

Seeking the nomination in a crowded GOP primary are candidates Amber Buckles, Derrick Spicer, Todd “Ike” Skelton, Lisa Thomas, Rudy Veit and Jake Vogel.

As voters head to the ballot box, ABC 17 News reached out to each candidate in the race to ask what they see as the top issues facing Senate District 6. Each brought up the importance of balancing the budget and keeping taxes as low as possible.

Presiding Commissioner of Camden County Skelton wants to look at cutting spending.

“That’s the very first thing we need to do,” Skelton said. “The lieutenant governor said there are some 3,000 new programs that have been caused by this most recent last few budgets. And I find it interesting as a politician to say that we have a spending problem and then want us to give them the ability to raise our taxes however they want to in Amendment 5. But they don’t really talk about cutting spending.”

FULL INTERVIEW LINKS: Derrick Spicer, Ike Skelton, Lisa Thomas, Rudy Veit, Jake Vogel

Amendment 5 is a proposal to phase out the state income tax. Before lawmakers can adjust any taxes, voters will need to decide on the measure. The amendment isn’t backed by a clear plan; instead, it asks voters to trust lawmakers in the 2027 legislative session to create one.

“As a matter of fact, they even just tell you that Amendment 5 is just kind of a revenue-neutral,” Skelton said. “Well, then what are you trying to do? So no, I want to look at cutting spending. We definitely do not need to raise taxes. I would really like to figure out how we could eliminate the personal property tax statewide.”

Rudy Veit, member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 59th District, said one of the biggest issues affecting District 6 is affecting everyone — the economy.

“If our budget is going to be cut, 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,” Veit said. “The economy is on everybody’s minds 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.”

Lisa Thomas served on the Missouri House of Representatives from 2021 to 2025. She stands to protect Missouri businesses and families by not draining resources from them.

“So we don’t want to overtax,” Thomas said. “I stood against the pressures that were trying to get us to vote for the gas tax. And I said, no, that’s going to harm families. I will be voting no on Amendment 5 because, again, that’s shifting our burden to the lower income and also to working families and those on fixed incomes.”

She said she would start with addressing the budget.

“Get our budget and our spending under control before we do policy testing, policy changes. And we also want to know what are the details? As a Republican, I definitely prefer reduction or elimination of any and all taxes. But we’re the Show-Me State; show me the plan. And in Amendment 5, that plan is missing in action.”

Jefferson City businessman and son of the late State Sen. Carl Vogel, Jake Vogel, calls himself a fiscal conservative and says he would bring a unique perspective to the Capitol.

“I want to go up to the Missouri Senate and legislature, and I want to look at it from a business lens,” Vogel said. “I’m the only business guy in this field that knows how to sign both sides of a paycheck. I think we need more business people. How to balance the budget? We can’t just send money out the door everywhere. We have to be fiscally responsible. After all, the COVID money’s dried up. We need to get back to pre-2020 spending.”

Vogel promises to bring money back to the people in a fiscally responsible way.

Candidate Derrick Spicer is a longtime Jefferson City resident and owner of PMI Hotels. He said he is not a “political insider.”

“I think the state is stagnant,” Spicer said. “The state is going to be in real trouble here if we don’t get that budget balanced. I think it’s going to be a situation. I think the overspending that’s going on right now in our state is just wasteful. I just think we need to, we got to, get a grip on that.”

Spicer supports lowering state taxes.

“I always worry about the middle class and other people too,” Spicer said. “I just think that we have to be able to lower taxes because if you look at our tax system right now, it’s so outdated and it needs to be updated.”

Small business owner Amber Buckles said in a statement that she is not a career politician and wants to “get politics back to working for the people.”

“One of my top priorities is bringing more fiscal responsibility and accountability to state government,” Buckles wrote. “Government should live within its means just like every Missouri family and small business has to.”

Increasing spending is not a solution, according to Buckles.

“We need to examine where taxpayer dollars are going, eliminate waste, and ensure every dollar is spent wisely. I also support eliminating Missouri’s personal property tax.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Seven people were arrested on charges that included felony assault of a police officer during a brawl early Sunday in downtown Columbia.

Officers were called to the fight near Ninth and East Walnut streets at about 1:30 a.m. Police who were at the scene had requested emergency assistance, according to a news release.

A video posted on social media shows multiple people scuffling downtown early Sunday, with police trying to subdue them. It’s not clear from the video how the fight started or whether anyone fighting was seriously injured.

An officer was hit in the head and evaluated for injuries, but was not hospitalized.Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude confirmed Monday the officer hit will be able to return to work without issue.

The seven suspects were arrested on suspicion of charges including peace disturbance, third-degree assault, assault on an officer and resisting arrest. One person had an outstanding warrant, the release states.

CPD released the names of the people detained during the incident in an updated press release on Monday evening:

Kaye’yanna Jacobs, 20, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Ja’vonika Triplett, 19, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Ja’jazania Houston, 23, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Deasia Houston, 18, of Columbia, resisting arrest and peace disturbance by fighting

Tinoz’shia Harris, 21, of Columbia, assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest

Ariana Jones, 21, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Shawn Henderson, 57, of Kansas City, Mo., outstanding warrany

One suspect attempted to get away but was caught by officers, the release states.

Several people were pepper-sprayed and then decontaminated at the Columbia Police Department, CPD says. Each of them declined additional medical treatment. Schlude said pepper-spray is a resource officers are trained to utilize if necessary.

“It’s assessing the situation which sometimes takes place in a matter of just a split second. Pepper spray is a very real low level kind of equalizer in a fight. It’s very hard to fight if you can’t see what’s going on,” Schlude said.

A use-of-force review of the officers’ actions is underway. Schlude said as of Monday night no officers had been placed on leave.

“Uses of force are always reviewed through the chain of command to make sure they comply with policy and law. That can be something as low as a balance displacement, clear to shots being fired,” Schlude said.

Some people in downtown Columbia on Monday said they avoid downtown at night entirely due to its safety concerns.

Anna Regna, a University of Missouri student, said that the school has received complaints about how unsafe downtown Columbia is.

“There’s been a lot of just kind of clap back with, like, Mizzou, and they’re like, well, we don’t feel safe,” Regna said. “I would just say I would never feel safe to go out downtown by myself.”

This fight brought up concerns about downtown safety for Regna.

Regna said that after a Stephens College student was shot by a stray bullet in September during a fight, she is now cautious when roaming downtown because that bullet could have hit anyone in the area.

“She’s my age, and she’s gone,” Regna said. “She wasn’t even involved in it, and she just got, like, shot for no reason. So I feel like that was kind of scary for all of us because we were just like, we go out there like, we could have been there easily.”

When Regna is out downtown, she said she doesn’t see many officers patrolling.

“I don’t feel like I see a lot of police. I’m going to be honest, like I will see a lot of people getting like pulled over, which is probably good because they’re probably getting DUIs,” Regna said.

The fight has reignited a push for a dedicated downtown police unit. The unit was put on hold in April just before its expected May relaunch due to staffing issues. The unit was disbanded in 2019 and reintroduced by Schlude in October following the deadly September shooting. However, staffing continues to keep it on ice.

“We’re already down to a one person traffic unit, we disbanded the DWI unit, we just got to the point where we have more than one detective investigating property crimes,” Schlude said. “We really need a core group of six officers and a sergeant to be down there.”

Schlude said a dedicated downtown unit would help better police relationships with bars and create a familiarity with the community and the officer’s presence.

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe did not want to speak about the fight directly, but did urge voters to pass a public safety sales tax, or Proposition 1, on the upcoming August ballot.

If approved by voters, the tax is expected to generate an estimated $38 million annually. The revenue would be dedicated exclusively to public safety, including hiring additional police officers and firefighters, purchasing equipment and vehicles, and improving public safety facilities.

“We constantly hear that public safety is our number one priority in our community and so for me this is a way for me to ask, okay if it’s our number one priority, we need to locally invest in that,” Buffaloe said.

Schlude said it was too early to say whether anything will be released publically after the internal review of the officers is completed.

ABC 17 News reached out to the Boone County prosecutor’s office on Monday.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Crews are set to close one lane in each direction of Interstate 70 and the exit ramps for the Providence Road Bridge starting Monday night.

Starting Monday at 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. MoDoT crews will be placing girders for the Providence Road Bridge, and due to this work, I-70 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction. This work is expected to continue into Wednesday morning.

Both eastbound ramps and the westbound on-ramp will be closed for several months. The westbound off-ramp is already closed.

The closest alternate route drivers can take is Rangeline St. to access and exit I-70.

The Providence Road Bridge is one of seven bridges being demolished and renovated along I-70 across Missouri this year. The bridge project is part of the Improve I-70 project from Rocheport to Columbia. MoDOT expects the larger project to be completed by late 2029.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Three people were handcuffed and escorted off the Boone County Fairgrounds during its final night on Saturday.

Jessie Kempf, the Boone County Fair Director, said Columbia police quickly took action after a fight broke out. She said the fight it all unraveled in about a minute and ended with those involved in police custody.

No one is reported to have been hurt.

Kempf said she believed those involved were minors.

ABC 17 News has reached out to CPD for more information.

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