Missouri Gubernatorial candidate Jay Ashcroft holds local meet-and-greet event

The position of Missouri Governor is up for election in November and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft held a local meet-and-greet event to discuss his campaign with potential voters.  

Ashcroft, who regularly travels to the different counties of Missouri each year, found himself at Granny Shaffer’s on Rangeline Road to shake hands and have conversations with local residents for three-plus hours.

“I think he is going to be a leader who can work with people,” Sandy Karnes, a Jay Ashcroft supporter. “You can’t bully people. It just doesn’t work. … You have to think critically and bounce ideas off each other. There may be times where you don’t agree, but you have to listen and work things out and I think as a leader, he will be able to do that.” 

After speaking with several attendees in the early portion of the event, Ashcroft addressed the crowd with his intentions as a Missouri gubernatorial candidate. 

“I believe in getting policy done,” Ashcroft said to the crowd. “I am happy to answer individually any questions people have, or corporately. I just want to encourage you to get involved because it matters.”

With refreshments available, Ashcroft continued to converse with anyone who wanted to bend his ear. A wide variety of potential voters were in attendance, whether they had just gotten off shift at work or if they’d been retired for years, Ashcroft had quite a bit of support from the Joplin area.

“I like everything he’s done,” said Scott Johnson, a retired military veteran and mechanic/truck driver. “Every single thing he’s done has been right in line with my politics and the way I feel about things.”