Leadership in Joplin touted as one reason for News-Leader's endorsement of Jay Nixon

In today's edition, the Springfield News-Leader Editorial Board endorsed Gov. Jay Nixon's re-election, with one reason being his leadership following the Joplin Tornado:

Perhaps being tested by the human cost of natural disasters — from the Joplin tornado to flooding along the Missouri River and drought around the state — has given the governor a unique outlook. Those experiences have touched him in ways that come across clearly in his tone and in his words.

He speaks of the people of Joplin as if they were his own townsfolk, and they are. He stepped up for that community immediately after a tornado ripped through the center of town, claiming 161 lives. He made sure funds were available to begin the disaster response and the eventual rebuilding. He has visited Joplin and the region regularly, sharing in the heartbreak and the successes.