EDUCATION -- Educating our children, the next generation of Missourians, is the key to our state's future. Providing an opportunity for our kids to receive a quality education is a core ingredient to giving them the hope of a healthy and prosperous life. We must continue to support public education by increasing funding and by encouraging good teachers to stay in the system. In the past two years we have increased elementary and secondary education funding by over $250 million, on the way to an $800 million increase over 7 years.

AGRICULTURE -- The heart of the 28th Senate District's economy is agriculture, both livestock and row crop farming. We have more cattle than any other part of the state, a significant numbers of hogs and growing numbers of sheep and goats. One of the ways to lessen our dependence on foreign oil is to increase our production of ethanol and soy-diesel. Not only is farming good for our economy but the farm is a great place to raise a family. Prosperous farms are critical to our state and provide the very backbone of our rural communities.

TAXATION -- Some politicians believe that bureaucrats in Jefferson City need ever increasing amounts of tax dollars to fund pet programs. I believe that excessive government taxation saps the strength of our economy and robs Missourians of income they need to provide for themselves and their families. We must keep taxes low in the Show Me State by running government more efficiently at every level: local, county and state. I will continue to fight the efforts to raise taxes so that working Missourians can keep control over the money they work so hard to earn.

GUN RIGHTS -- Our founding fathers knew the power of an armed, free citizenry and included the right to bear arms as one of the most important principles in our Constitution. Law abiding citizens are not a threat to anyone except criminals and I fully support the Second Amendment's guarantee of the right to own and use firearms. I also voted for and fully support Missouri's new conceal and carry law.

LIFE ISSUES -- The right to life is the most basic of the rights we have, whether it be for the unborn, the elderly or those not capable of making decisions on their own. As Chairman of the Senate ProLife Caucus, I will continue to lead in the fight to protect life.

LAW ENFORCEMENT -- A civil nation must have strong and consistent law enforcement. We each deserve to live in safe neighborhoods, free from violence and drugs. That's why our police officers deserve to be well compensated and our judges should rule in favor of keeping the criminals off our streets. I also voted for and support Missouri's new "All Felon" DNA testing program. This new law requires all convicted felons to give a DNA sample to be cross-checked with evidence collected from crime scenes around the nation. In less than two years of operation this program has helped solve over 400 crimes, including an average of one murder, rape or sexual assault every week. Criminals who would otherwise be released back into society are now being brought to justice.

JOBS -- In order to create and expand jobs in Missouri we must provide a healthy environment for businesses to come to this state. I have sponsored and supported bills in the General Assembly to limit frivolous lawsuits which drive doctors and businesses from the state. I will continue to work to provide safe working environments for thousands of Missourians.

ELECTIONS -- We should be able to have confidence that every election held in our state provides free access to registered voters, that each vote counts and that all voters are treated equally. I believe a required photo ID, like a Missouri driver's license, will cut down on voter fraud in the state and will produce greater voter confidence in our elections system.