I’m John Brunner. I’m a Marine, a Manufacturer, a Missionary – and a life-long Missouri conservative.
I stand before you today because we share a heavy burden for our state and our country.
America –That once shining city upon a hill, whose beacon light grows dim; where shadows, now fall upon freedom’s path.
Some say we’re well past the crossroads; others say we’re beyond the point of no return. But here’s where I stand.
I believe in an appeal to heaven – where with God, all things are possible. But I also believe that trusting in God isn’t enough. He wants us to engage and answer to the call of battle. When duty calls. We must answer.
General Washington once said, “To trust altogether in the justice of our cause, without our utmost exertions, would be tempting Providence.”
And Pastor John Peter Muhlenberg, put it into perspective in a sermon in 1775 when he proclaimed, “There is a time to pray and a time to fight. This is the time to fight.”
Here’s my challenge for Missourians in 2016, This is the time to pray, while fighting.
Whenever I was discouraged, my father always challenged me by saying, “The only battle you always lose is the one you never fight.”
My friends and patriots, I stand before you, ready to fight the battle.
As United States Marines we responded to the challenge, Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way. I am ready to lead.
My entire life experience prepared me for this mission. I am ready to serve.
America can be reclaimed one state at a time. It begins right here in Missouri.
I therefore declare that I am a candidate for Governor of the great State of Missouri.
My friends, I ask for your help, your support, and your prayers and votes. Together, we will win this race.
Our very first challenge isn’t repairing our system of government, but in improving the way we’ve been selecting our leaders.
Unfortunately, too often, political candidates turn out to be a wonderful and engaging individuals but with little real world experience.
To quote my friend Tom Coburn, a medical doctor, businessman, and former United States Senator: “If we are to solve the problems in front of us, we must elect individuals with backgrounds similar to those of our founders, people full of life experiences paid for with hardship, hard work, and disappointments; people who are willing to give up the comfort of today for a better tomorrow for America”.
The failures in Missouri all stem from a lack of leadership – refined in the crucible of decades of challenges. We must have the courage to answer the call of duty do what is required to change course.
And as Winston Churchill once said, “Without courage, all other virtues lose their meaning”.
I answered the call of duty as a United States Marine. I served as a Infantry platoon commander, company executive officer, and battalion staff – “In every clime and place” from the east coast to the west coast, from the North Atlantic, to the Mediterranean.
As Marines, we were trained, conditioned, and first to fight – America’s “ready-reaction force”.
It was the highest honor to volunteer to serve my country.
As I was about to sign up for a third tour of duty in the Marines, my father called and asked me if I would consider coming home.
You see, the family business, after 70 years, was failing, and wasn’t going to survive much longer.
Duty called: I knew I what I had to do.
So my new bride, Jan, our golden retriever, Daisy, and I, packed up our Chevy and headed home.
Everything was falling apart on the factory floor. I just rolled up my sleeves and charged the hill every day.
I did every job in that factory, from scrubbing the bathrooms, to driving forklift trucks loading 40′ trailers.
I became a pretty good mechanic, as just about every production line was a rust-bucket.
Those were financially challenging times. We had good years and too many bad years.
Like other small businesses we struggled through the regulations, taxes, lawyers, and government inspectors.
By working together, from the shop floor up, as a team, as a family, we took that company past the 75th anniversary. And then again we made it to the one-hundred-year milestone and beyond.
We became the largest in our industry in America. Billions of dollars of business was brought back to Missouri, and thousands of families had jobs that lasted a lifetime.
Sharing the American Dream with so many dedicated associates for so many years brought purpose and meaning to so many lives.
I’ve seen the positive force of a good job – over and over again.
I’ve rejoiced when an associate asked me to come out to the parking lot to look at their new car or truck.
I’ll never forget standing with one of my mechanics on the plant floor one day when he said,
“I wish my little daughter was here to see this – I’d let her know that with each and every bottle going down this production line there’s a little bit of her college education adding up.
And yet, today, the opportunities of my grandfather, my father and myself, aren’t going to be there for our children and grandchildren if we don’t change direction in our country and in our state.
I know what we need to do, In securing the better future all Missourians deserve.
As Governor I won’t need to hunt for the instruction manual.
I won’t need to “call-in the consultants”.
I understand first-hand, through decades of experience, what it will take to get the job done.
I’ll will fight as an advocate for hard working families because I’ve been there.
Here’s the inconvenient truth: for everyone else in this race:
I’m the only candidate with a decades-long record of bringing billions of dollars of business to Missouri and creating thousands of jobs
I’ll reach out to fellow business leaders across the country.
Talking manufacturer – to – manufacturer, to convince them that Missouri will be the right place for them to build and grow their business.
I’ll tear down the barriers to opportunity and promote Missouri as an economic freedom zone — where entrepreneurs, businesses, farmers, ranchers, distributors, and manufacturers will build companies, grow jobs and expand operations as the “Best in Business” state in America!
As people of faith, we know we’re called to share the blessings we have and to protect God given life.
I believe in the scriptural admonition; “Faith without works is dead.” This calls us to put our beliefs into action.
And I believe in putting our faith and trust in God, not in government. Our national motto, on all our coins, says it right — “In God We Trust”.
I’ve been involved in our local church my entire life. I’ve been fortunate to help build churches, schools, and orphanages— from Missouri to Zimbabwe.
My wife, Jan, and I— and our entire family, have found opportunities to serve in church missions, and in many charitable organizations, at home and abroad.
In tough times and good times, we always found the opportunity to share with those less fortunate — whether next-door or a world away.
We’ve always been motivated by a sense of gratitude, to help others.
We’ve witnessed how a hand-up is far more sustaining than just a handout.
As I’ve traveled across Missouri many times, I’ve noted that volunteering and helping others is simply a way of life for most Missourians.
My parents believed that as citizens we’re called to volunteer in elections. I began as a very young precinct worker in the 7th grade.
Since those early years, I’ve been engaged in hundreds campaigns and conservative causes. You may recall that three years ago, I was a candidate for the US Senate.
I was proud to be endorsed by the leading grassroots conservative organization — FreedomWorks.
Unfortunately, my Republican opponent was endorsed by Claire McCaskill.
My constitutional conservative values always been engrained in my life—and will forever be so.
After four decades as a Marine, Manufacturer, Missionary and a life-long Missouri conservative — I’ve gained a good perspective on life’s most important values.
It comes from Main Street, not Wall Street. It comes from the factory floor, not the clubhouse door. It comes from a servant’s heart, not in driving a golf cart.
I’m not a part of the establishment. I’ve never held public office.
I’m a threat — to the political class and their big-dollar donors — I can’t be bought.
To the working families and military veterans — I’m ”boots on the ground” —a fighter — fighting for them and their future.
I’ll challenge anyone that’s trying to preserve a system that caters to the careers of politicians — at the expense of working families.
I’ll set a standard for excellence and professionalism whereby Jefferson City can earn back the respect of the people.
As your governor, on day one, for every agency under my control …
I’ll ban all travel junkets and all gifts to all members of my administration — and end the revolving door of influence pedaling.
I’ll call on the General Assembly and other statewide officers to do the same for their departments.
And if the legislature won’t pass my tough new ethics laws, then I’ll lead the effort to place an initiative on the ballot.
That will let Missourians themselves restore integrity and transparency to our state.
My friends — I’m not running for a political promotion — and I’m certainly not running to launch a political career.
I’m not looking for a job. I’m here to DO the job.
The professional political class has failed us. We can’t let their failure define our future.
We can here and now recommit to those “back-to-basics” tested-and-proven-principles of freedom and opportunity.
As I was able to lead the turn-around of the family business,
I’ll lead the turn-around in Missouri. I will restore jobs and opportunities — for all Missourians.
Creating new opportunity for a better future for all Missourians means building on a foundation of faith, freedom and fairness for all.
We’re all fed up with a do-nothing governor, defended by a political attorney general, submitting to the directives of a radical president.
It’s time to put our citizens first. It’s time to put Missouri first. It’s time to put America first.
Government can’t spend its way to prosperity. Innovating, adapting, improvising, and overcoming, drives a successful business. I’ll bring those same values to our state government.
In Missouri today thousands of our children and grand-kids attend schools that have failed — are failing — and will continue to fail — unless we right the ship.
Every child should be prepared to learn and earn and to claim their own part of the American Dream.
Obama, Nixon and Koster’s top-down, one size fits all, bureaucrat directed Common Core is not the solution.
Local school boards, parents and teachers need to be back in charge.
Teachers need the freedom to teach.
With three generations of teachers in my family… I know this works.
Freedom in education will restore to all Missourians a promise for a better future.
To sentence a young Missourian to a failing school is inexcusable and heartless.
It’s the path to poverty, hopelessness, and for too many, a road to prison. It will not happen on my watch.
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Failed state leadership has left us a crumbling transportation system that puts our citizens in peril and collapses any hope of economic growth and opportunity.
The very first mile of America’s interstate highway system was built in Missouri because — we are at the crossroads of America.
We have largest river system in North America. We’ve got the 2nd & 3rd largest rail depots in the nation.
We’re perfectly positioned to be the distribution hub of the USA.
We can, and we will do this, as voters have demanded, without any new tolls, taxes or fees.
As governor, I will fight in court— and through every other means available— the unfunded federal mandates and extreme, burdensome regulations.
These mandates hurt our farmers, manufacturers, and businesses. They raise family utility bills and kill good jobs.
With a new Republican Attorney General, we’ll team-up to fight the regulators and kick them back across the Potomac — where they belong.
There’s no reason for our healthcare to be destroyed at the hands of government regulators.
Our free enterprise system makes goods and services efficient and competitive with lower prices, better quality, and better service.
I’m fed-up that Missouri is rated at the bottom of the barrel for economic growth.
Missourians are fed up with barely getting by–instead of getting ahead.
By rebuilding freedom, we rebuild the engines of opportunity.
Together — we can make our state competitive again where growth equals more jobs.
Let me ask you a few questions:
Will you join me in the fight for freedom — for more jobs and opportunity?
Will you join me in the fight for freedom — for the lives of the unborn?
Will you join me in the fight for freedom –for our religious liberty?
Will you join me in the fight for freedom —for our Constitution and our Republic?
With a lot less talk and a lot more action —
With a lot less government and a lot more freedom —
We’ll create the opportunities for all Missourians.
This will be our legacy for our children and grandchildren. This will be our salute to those who went before us.
Freedom and Opportunity calls us to the field of battle.
We can only win this fight — if we join together.
We can only win this fight if there is a clear and compelling choice for governor—
between a political chameleon–and a proven conservative
between a trial lawyer—and a manufacturer
and between a politician—and a Marine.
I’m on a mission – fighting for all Missourians — more freedom, less government –more opportunity.
As a United States Marine, I swore to support and defend the Constitution
of the United States of America from all enemies foreign and domestic.
That oath has no expiration date.
I stand before you today, to volunteer again –to support and defend our Missouri Constitution—The preamble proclaims:
“We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness, do establish this Constitution for the better government of the state.
As governor, I’ll pledge that I will faithfully uphold those principles and execute those duties to the best of my ability, for the benefit of all of the citizens of Missouri.
My friends, join with me in this fight.
As Winston Churchill said in the shortest speech he ever gave, “Never, never, ever give up”.
Keep fighting my friends.
May we never forget—the cause of freedom demands nothing less than victory.
May we never forget—the eternal source of our liberty.
May God continue to shed his grace and mercy on America.
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