Cape County Republican vice chairwoman to run for state representative

Cape Girardeau County Republican vice chairwoman Donna Lichtenegger will make her second bid for public office in 2010 when she files as a candidate to replace state Rep. Scott Lipke, who must leave office due to term limits.

Lichtenegger lost a four-way primary in 2002 to Lipke, falling 24 votes short. Since then, she has supported Lipke in his election contests and had high praise for him.

"Scott has just been a great legislator," Lichtenegger said. "I have huge shoes to fill."

Lichtenegger, 59, joins Jackson School Board member Gerald Adams, another candidate from the 2002 contest, in the race to replace Lipke. That will set up a Republican primary in August.

Lipke represents the 157th District, which includes most of northern Cape Girardeau County, including Jackson, and most of Perry County except Perryville, Mo., and the area immediately to the west.

Lichtenegger said she would make education issues her top priority. She laid out plans for an advisory panel on education that would include teachers and discuss the practical impact of legislative proposals.

The advisory panel model will also be used on other issues, Lichtenegger said.

"Politicians over the years have made a very large mistake by not allowing their constituents to be involved in the process," she said. "That is the backlash we are seeing in our country."

Education is one of the state's most important functions and of personal value to her, she said. "We are not going to go anywhere without it. It is a big part of my husband's life, a big part of my life and big part of my children's lives," she said.

For example, she said she is a licensed dental hygienist with 35 years' experience, including membership on the Dental Hygienist Association PAC board that lobbies the legislature and raises money for political contributions.

Her husband, John Lichtenegger, a prominent area lawyer, will help her understand complex legal issues but she won't rely on his opinions to inform her votes, she said. "He is not going to have time, and I don't want just one person's opinion on something," Donna Lichtenegger said. "Whether they are Republicans or Libertarians or Democrats, I would like to hear from all these people."

In addition to her political activities -- Lichtenegger is also a member of the Republican State Committee and chaired the 8th Congressional District Republican Committee for four consecutive terms -- Lichtenegger listed her experience as a dental hygienist and community involvement as resume points in her favor.

Her civic activities include being a volunteer leader for the Relay for Life and 8th District chairwoman of the Fair Tax Committee, among others. She said she would resign from the dental hygienist PAC board as well as the Fair Tax Committee to help those groups maintain their nonpartisan status.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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Jackson, Mo.