Lt. Gov. Kinder running for governor

Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder this weekend announced his plans to pursue the governor’s seat.

Speaking to a crowd of Ferguson and Dellwood residents yesterday at New York Grill - which took severe fire damage during last year’s riots - the Republican maintained his call for law and order in Missouri. The lieutenant governor was a vocal critic of Gov. Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster during the riots that took place after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer.

“Never again will we allow our streets to be undefended and our businesses to be undefended,” Kinder said, flanked by Ferguson Mayor James Knowles and businessman Tony Thompson. “Never again will we turn over those streets to the criminals, the vandals, the looters and those who throw firebombs. The damage was real. It was long lasting. I say never again.”

Kinder was re-elected lieutenant governor in November 2012, marking his third term. He was first elected the state’s 46th lieutenant governor in November 2004 and re-elected in November 2008, according to LtGov.Mo.Gov.

The former associate publisher of the Southeast Missourian newspaper in Cape Girardeau, Kinder served 12 years in the Missouri Senate before his election to lieutenant governor. On his campaign website, Kinder’s main issues include working toward a smaller government, enhancing the state’s economic standing, education reform and increasing access to health care.

Kinder joins three other GOP candidates for governor: Former state Rep. Catherine Hanaway, state Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, and former state Rep. Randy Asbury. Former Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich had announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination Jan. 28, about a month before he committed suicide.

Nixon is scheduled to term out in 2016, and the only Democratic candidate announced is Koster.