Kinder fires first shot of 2012 gubernatorial campaign

Those who were anxiously awaiting a signal of what kind of a campaign Missouri will have for governor in 2012 received it last night and the message was loud and clear- it is going to be a long campaign and it has already started.

During his response to Gov. Jay Nixon's State of the State address, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder brushed aside the usual recitation of the Republican agenda in favor of an attack on the governor.

Governor Nixon has been AWOL on the issues that matter most to you and your family. Sure, he loves the perks of the job—the ribbon cuttings, the prime seats at sporting events, the taxpayer-funded airplane—but he’s nowhere to be found on the troubles facing our state.

As the response continued, it was evident that what Missourians were hearing was not a Republican party response to what Gov. Nixon said or even the governor's policies- it was a campaign advertisement for Peter Kinder.

At a time like this, remaining silent is not the answer.


But that’s exactly what Governor Nixon has done. In fact, in 2009, he even refused to fight against the job-killing legislation making its way through Congress because he’s, quote, “not the lobbyist for the state.”

I believe that being governor means being Missouri’s LOUDEST advocate. Our biggest promoter—our strongest lobbyist. It means fighting for new jobs every day, not just when the cameras are rolling.

The personal nature of the response was different from the usual State of the State response and it most definitely gives us a preview of the governor's race.  And while that is not necessarily a bad thing, the fact that it is already starting does not bode well for those who are tired of partisan rhetoric.