Cape Girardeau's Seabaugh announces independent run at U.S. Senate seat

Rick Seabaugh, who was the guest speaker at Thursday's meeting of the Southeast Missouri Pachyderm Club, addressed his plan to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate to club members at Delmonico's in Jackson.

Seabaugh -- owner of Catalina Custom Homes, LLC. -- announced he plans to run as an independent conservative in the November 2022 election.

"This was not something that I ever wanted to do. It wasn't something that I felt I should do. But in February, on the 25th, I had enough," Seabaugh said. "I'd kept my mouth shut, played the game hoping everybody up there would do their job. They're not, neither side. I'm not pulling for Republicans. I'm not pulling for the Democrats. I'm pulling for you."

Seabaugh, who is from Cape Girardeau, chose to run as an independent because he doesn't feel enough is getting done on either side of the aisle.

"Neither one's doing their job, OK? We have a Congress that has had a 30% approval rating or less for the past decade," Seabaugh said. "I can't make 100% of people happy, but I bet I can do better than that just by simplifying things a little bit more, instead of making things so complicated."

In order to appear on the ballot, Seabaugh must collect 10,000 signatures on a petition. He began collecting signatures the first weekend of March. As of Thursday night he already had 1,100.

"I've had really good support," Seabaugh said. "You know, I don't think it's so much of a Republican or Democratic environment nowadays. It's just the right person now. I think it's really ripe for an independent character, especially an independent conservative as myself. I think a lot will happen across the nation, when more and more people say, 'I've had enough with your stories, enough of your stories and this is a story I need to go with.' "

Seabaugh is hopeful he can collect enough signatures by July 4 to appear on next year's ballot, however, he has until March 2022 to complete his goal.

In addition to Seabaugh's announcement, club members heard from Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee chairman Matthew Henson, and Victor Gunn was presented with the club's Tough Tusk award, which is presented to a member who shows outstanding citizenship in the field of political and governmental affairs.