He’s been a Navy Seal, an author, and founded a non-profit company to assist veterans. Now Eric Greitens says Missouri needs to elect the conservative outsider as its next Governor.

The Republican candidate says he is the only one in the race that has never run for public office.  Greitens also says he is the only candidate that will admit Jefferson City is corrupt and needs change.

Greitens made several campaign stops in Northeast Missouri Friday afternoon, including Monroe City, Hannibal, and Bowling Green.

He addressed a small crowd at Java Jive in Hannibal.  Greitens stated his 8 years in the Navy included 4 deployments to the Middle East.  In 2006-2007 he was serving in Iraq during the Surge.  Greitens’ team was responsible for capturing Al-Qaeda leaders. His unit was hit by a suicide truck bomb in 2007.   Although Greitens personally suffered minor injuries, he saw many of his team members suffer serious trauma.

Greitens later turned his passion for wounded warriors into a non-profit organization called Mission Continues. It works to bring purpose and meaning to vets’ lives when they return home.  Greitens says the VA system is a dysfunctional bureaucracy that discourages disabled vets from being productive.

He told the crowd the unrest at Ferguson and the University of Missouri was caused from a lack of prompt, decisive leadership by Governor Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster.

Greitens says Missouri ranks 47th in economic growth…Too many are out of work and many with jobs are not seeing raises.  He also says Missouri ranks 50th on a survey of states’ ability to move people off welfare to work.

Part of his platform involves banning all gifts from lobbyists, and closing the revolving door between politicians, special interests, and lobbyists.  He also favors term limits for all state offices.

Three other Republicans are competing in the Governor’s race.  They are John Brunner, Catherine Hanaway, and Peter Kinder. Democrats seeking the office are Chris Koster, Leonard Steinman II, Eric Morrison, and Charles Wheeler.  One Libertarian has entered the race: Cisse W Spragins.

Missouri’s Primary Election takes place August 2.

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