Dixon Joins Race for MOGOV

(AP) – State Sen. Bob Dixon joined four other announced Republican candidates vying for Missouri governor in 2016, touting his Christian faith and conservative views during an announcement Monday on the front porch of his Springfield home.
“It is my faith in God that helps me to daily set the compass,” Dixon told reporters during a stop at the Capitol later Monday. “I hope the people of Missouri will accept my record of service as a reflection of my faith in the Almighty, because that frankly is at the core of what I do.”
Dixon, 46, added that he respects and appreciates other religions. He said he wants to help “renew Missouri’s spirit and offer Missouri’s families sensible conservative solutions.”
He was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and served in the House for eight years before that. Much of his work in the Legislature has centered on crime policy, and he chairs the Senate’s criminal justice committee. He worked in banking and finance before his election to the Legislature.
Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is barred from seeking re-election because of term limits. Attorney General Chris Koster is the sole Democrat looking to replace him.
To challenge Koster, Dixon first needs to push past a growing field of Republican candidates. Former Missouri House Speaker and U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, fellow state Sen. Mike Parson and former state Rep. Randy Asbury all are seeking the GOP nomination. Two others – former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens and suburban St. Louis businessman John Brunner – are expected to announce soon.