Missouri state government needs a conservative treasurer who will do “a better job of investing in Main Street” rather than Wall Street, Republican state treasurer candidate Eric Schmitt said Friday during a campaign stop in Cape Girardeau.

Schmitt, a state senator, spoke to about 20 party faithful at the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women’s Club noon meeting at Dexter Bar-B-Que.

He said state government should not be investing its money in the “big Wall Street banks.”

He also vowed to make sure none of the state’s money is invested with companies that do business with “terrorist” nations such as Iran.

“We will not do business with companies involved in state-sponsored terrorism,” he told the crowd.

Schmitt said Missouri voters have elected only two Republicans as state treasurer since Prohibition. Republicans have won few statewide offices in recent years, but the Glendale, Missouri, resident said this year could be different with no incumbent running for any of the state’s top offices.

The GOP candidate said there is need for government reform in Missouri. Schmitt said that has not occurred since the 1970s. Missouri has twice as many state employees as other states of similar size, said Schmitt, who believes in reducing the number of workers in state government.

If elected treasurer, Schmitt said he believes he could serve as “a thought leader.”

Missouri’s economy needs a boost, he said.

“We are not growing at the same rate as other states,” he said.

Schmitt said, “We have to have leadership to compete.”

He told the crowd he favors efforts to pass right-to-work legislation in Missouri, a move he believes would help the state’s economy and create jobs.

He said he would be active in helping direct the future of state government.

“I am not going to be sitting on the sidelines,” he said.

Schmitt, who ran unopposed in the recent GOP primary, will face Democratic candidate and former state representative Judy Baker and Libertarian Sean O’Toole in the Nov. 8 general election.

The current treasurer, Democrat Clint Zweifel, is barred by state term limits from seeking re-election.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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236 S. Broadview, Cape Girardeau, Mo.