U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson hopes to win re-election Tuesday to a second term as congresswoman for Southeast Missouri's 8th District.

To do that, the Cape Girardeau Republican must defeat Democratic challenger Tony Heckemeyer and Libertarian candidate John Hendricks.

The financial woes of farmers and the future of Social Security are issues that have punctuated the fall election campaign. On those issues Emerson and Heckemeyer have stated similar views.

Both want government to provide a safety net for farmers. Both want to revamp the crop insurance program. They agree that farm exports have been hurt by the financial crisis in Asia.

Both candidates want to preserve Social Security by segregating the trust fund from the regular federal budget and putting money from the budget surplus into the trust fund.

Hendricks has a different view: The 38-year-old Jackson businessman espouses less government in all areas.

He supports only limited subsidies for farmers. He wants to phase out Social Security over 25 years and eliminate the federal income tax.

Heckemeyer, a former circuit judge from Sikeston, has accused Emerson of sounding like a Democrat. For her part, Emerson has stressed that she puts "people before politics."

Heckemeyer, 59, has talked of his Southeast Missouri roots and portrayed Emerson as an outsider and former Washington lobbyist. He has called her a "carpetbagger."

Emerson has said she has been able to get things done in Congress for her district.

"I think I am a real good advocate for our district. I'm a consensus builder," said the 48-year-old Emerson. She said she has good relations with both Democrats and Republicans in the House.

Hendricks said Emerson and Heckemeyer offer similar views on many issues. "To me, there's essentially no difference between Republicans and Democrats running right now, especially in this district," said Hendricks.

"I represent the second party so to speak. I am a clear choice to the Democratic or Republican ticket," said Hendricks.

Both Heckemeyer and Emerson have voiced opposition to school vouchers, contending that it would cut into funding for public schools in Missouri.

Hendricks, on the other hand, supports school vouchers as a means of providing families with school choice.

All three candidates voiced opposition to gun control. All three said they support the Second Amendment, which guarantees citizens the right to own firearms.

Both Heckemeyer and Emerson oppose abortions. Hendricks favors a constitutional amendment that essentially would outlaw third-trimester abortions.

Emerson and Heckemeyer have both decried the high cost of campaigns. From Jan. 1, 1997, through Sept. 30, Emerson raised nearly $1 million. Heckemeyer entered the race in February. Through September he had raised about $300,000.

Campaign expenses for the two candidates totaled about $746,000 through September.

Hendricks, on the other hand, has run a no-frills campaign. He said he will end up spending less than $1,000 in the race, most of it his own money.

Emerson and Heckemeyer both favor campaign finance reform.

Emerson wants to ban "soft money" contributions that go to political parties and currently don't have to be disclosed. She said all money given to support or oppose candidates should be disclosed.

Heckemeyer said political campaigns are now financed by special-interest groups. "You buy these jobs," he said.

Heckemeyer favors limiting campaign spending. In the 8th District, he said, a $250,000 spending cap per congressional candidate seems reasonable.

"That would provide for your staffs, a little bit of advertising, your automobile expenses. It would take care of the everyday operations of a campaign," he said.

Heckemeyer said candidates should be allowed to take only contributions from within their states.

Hendricks wants to repeal all laws governing campaign finances. He said candidates should be free to raise and spend as much money as they want.

But Hendricks said he purposely didn't seek out contributions for his campaign. "I didn't want to waste people's money," he said.