CAPE NATIVE WILL HEAD UP ASHCROFT PANEL

U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft has named Cape Girardeau native Jack Oliver to head his Spirit of America Committee.

Oliver will serve as executive director of the political action committee, which was formed in 1996 to support the Missouri senator's activities in behalf of Republican candidates and issues.

Oliver is a veteran of Missouri political campaigns and an adviser to Ashcroft.

Ashcroft said, "The leadership team at the Spirit of America is very bright, talented and energetic."

Ashcroft chairs the Spirit of America Committee. In 1997, he traveled to more than 50 cities in 26 states in behalf of Republican candidates and causes.

Oliver has been involved in Republican politics in Missouri for the past decade. He took a leave of absence from his job as an administrative assistant to Ashcroft to head the Victory '96 campaign for the Missouri Republican Party.

He worked in past election campaigns for Ashcroft, Sen. Christopher Bond, former senator John Danforth and the late congressman Bill Emerson.