158th candidates tout experience at Cape forum

Three candidates hoping to become Cape Girardeau's next state representative sparred Thursday over abortion, taxes and which person has the experience that best prepares them for the Missouri House.

They also tackled the issue of whether people with concealed weapon permits should be allowed to carry guns into college and school classrooms, and all three agreed that lawmakers should not moonlight as political consultants.

In a forum that lasted a little more than an hour, Wayne Wallingford, Jeff Glenn and Clint Tracy sought to win over the 50 members and guests at the Southeast Missouri Pachyderm Club. All three are Republicans. The winner will face Robert Roland, a Libertarian, in the November election.

The candidates all kept their cool and remained polite to one another throughout the event. And the policy differences among them often stemmed from nuances in their position rather than sharp contrasts.

But as each candidate introduced themselves and, in their closing remarks, they sought to make the most of their experiences.

Tracy, the youngest of the three, used his Navy training to show he was ready for office. He spent a year in Iraq and said he was ready for the state House because of the responsibility he was given there. He also cited community involvement and his roots in Cape Girardeau. Tracy's mother is Debra Tracy, Cape Girardeau city councilwoman.

Glenn was district director for then-U.S. Sen. Jim Talent from 2002 to 2006 and a top official in the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. "The real difference is relevant experience," he said. "I spent four years honing the skills needed to every day meet the needs of 500,000 constituents."

Wallingford, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force who has since been an executive first with Taco Bell and now with McDonalds of Southeast Missouri, said the best legislators are people chosen from the ranks of successful people. In the founding days of the nation, he said, voters sent farmers, professional men and business people to work for them, people tested and proven over time.

"They didn't send them to go get some experience and then come back and tell them how they did," Wallingford said.

On abortion, Glenn was unapologetic that his personal beliefs mean he would allow abortion in cases of rape or incest, a stance that helped cost him the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life. "I respect their position, but I disagree," Glenn said.

Wallingford, who was also passed up by the pro-life group, said he is as strong as any candidate when it comes to fighting for the unborn. "No one in this room can be more pro-life than me," he said.

Tracy, who did get the nod from Missouri Right to Life, noted that endorsement and emphasized his opposition to any attempt to fund abortions with taxpayer money.

The question of tax increases stemmed from a discussion of the state's needs for money for highways and other transportation projects. State estimates show a dramatic drop in funding for roads as a bond issue is spent and federal spending for highways falls to match revenue from fuel taxes. Some are advocating a gas tax increase or a sales tax to boost spending.

Infrastructure is in a crisis, Wallingford said. The way to fund the needs of highways, ports and railroads is to do as people do at home -- look for savings in other areas. "Money can always be found if it is a priority," he said.

Tracy agreed, adding that he had signed a pledge not to vote to raise taxes.

But Glenn said he did not sign the pledge because of infrastructure needs. MoDOT will need $1.1 billion to make up lost dollars, he noted. And budget cuts in the past leave little room to find new resources, he said. "I don't have a crystal ball, but I know we have got to have good roads. I refuse to say I will not put a tax increase before voters."

In response to a question of whether concealed weapons should be allowed on schools, all the candidates brought up images of the Virginia Tech or Columbine shootings.

But Tracy said he's not sure allowing guns is the best solution. "I am not sure guns belong in schools."

For Glenn, the idea of guns in schools is scary, but he added that "an even more scary thought" is what happens when a gunman enters a school unopposed.

And Wallingford said he's talked with teachers and the idea needs study. "The issue deserves more looking into, but it shouldn't be mandatory."

rkeller@semissourian.com

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