Candidates tout accomplishments, plans before SEMO Pachyderm Club

Before a crowd of 30 people at the SEMO Pachyderm Club on Thursday evening, Republican candidates for Missouri Senate District 27 took turns touting their backgrounds and accomplishments ahead of the Aug. 4 primary election.

Holly Rehder, 50, of Sikeston is term-limited after eight years representing District 148 of the Missouri House.

“We almost got PDMP across the finish line,” Rehder said, referencing to her full-throated support for a prescription drug monitoring program bill she has backed so far unsuccessfully for eight years in Jefferson City.

Kathy Swan, 69, of Cape Girardeau is also term-limited after four terms in Missouri House District 147.

“I’m proud of the tough anti-abortion bill we got passed in 2019,” Swan said, “and for the workforce training legislation helping young adults get educated for better-paying jobs in Missouri.”

Missouri state Rep. Kathy Swan (R-147, Cape Girardeau) speaks during a SEMO Pachyderm Club candidates forum Thursday at Delmonico's Restaurant in Jackson. Swan will run in the Republican primary election in August in a bid for the state senate.Jeff Long ~ jlong@semissourian.com

Rehder and Swan are squaring off to be the GOP Missouri Senate nominee.

The winner will face Democrat Donnie Owens in the Nov. 3 general election.

The District 27 incumbent, Wayne Wallingford, who also attended the meeting at Delmonico’s Restaurant in Jackson but didn’t speak, is likewise term-limited and is running in the primary for Swan’s current state House seat, where he will face fellow Republican John Voss.

Two GOP hopefuls want to succeed Rehder — Jamie Burger and Will Perry.

Rehder and Swan differ on the biggest legislative challenge facing them in Jefferson City.

Paul Koeper speaks during a SEMO Pachyderm Club candidate forum Thursday at Delmonico's restaurant in Jackson. Koeper is running for a fourth term as Cape Girardeau County commissioner.Jeff Long ~ jlong@semissourian.com

Rehder, who emphasized her prevailing wage and tax credit reform work, said state government must be kept lean financially.

“The more we give the government,” Rehder said, “the more control they’ll have over us, especially in rural areas.”

Swan, who spoke of once picketing a Kingshighway abortion clinic in Cape Girardeau after the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, touted her pro-life credentials.

“(We need to) save innocent lives and quit killing babies,” she said.

Neither candidate spoke favorably of Medicaid expansion in Missouri.

Paul Koeper, 65, is running for a fourth term as Cape Girardeau County District 1 commissioner.

First elected in 2008, Koeper faces fellow GOP candidates Dwayne Kirchhoff and Josh Biester in the August primary.

Koeper, a retired engineer and former vice president of Penzel Construction, said he is proud of the nine new county bridges built during his tenure and 102 miles of new paved roads.

Koeper recalled his work to help bring workers’ compensation costs down dramatically in the county and saluted county voters for their recent approval of the new law enforcement tax.

Kirchhoff and Biester will get a chance to speak at a Republican women’s forum July 10 as will the three GOP candidates running for county coroner.