Jay Ashcroft feeling ‘light’ heading into election
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KMIZ)
The campaign for Jay Ashcroft says the Republican candidate for governor is riding high, feeling "light" early on Election Day.
Ashcroft is running for the Republican nomination to become Missouri's next governor as current Gov. Mike Parson's term is ending.
Jason Roe with Ashcroft's campaign described the last five days leading up to Tuesday as the "lightest" he's ever seen the candidate during the campaign.
Ashcroft is running against two other well-funded Republican candidates in the August primary election, including current Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and State Sen. Bill Eigel. All three candidates have been endorsed by former president Donald Trump but Roe says Ashcroft is the only one who has also been endorsed by Missouri Right to Life.
That is something Roe says the campaign has been emphasizing and reminding people before polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Roe said the campaign's last efforts heading into Tuesday night include making robocalls, sending text messages and posting to social media, and reminding people to vote for the "consistent conservative."
Ashcroft and Kehoe were tied at 26% for voter support as of July 31, according to polling site 538.
Ashcroft was elected secretary of state in 2016 and again in 2020.
Ashcroft told ABC 17 News recently that he wanted to run for governor because he didn't want to run for secretary of state again because he doesn't like the idea of people staying in one position. He said he also felt there were things in the state that needed to be done.
Ashcroft said three main areas he hopes to improve if elected include putting parents in charge of education, improving public safety across the state and cutting the government.
He also said he would work to eliminate the state's income tax, would support banning any foreign purchase of Missouri farmland and said he would work to curb the effects of illegal immigration on Missouri.
