GOP HEAVYWEIGHTS GATHER FOR ANNUAL RALLY

State Rep. Rod Jetton said he's gotten used to people asking him, "Hey, did you walk here?"

The Republican from Marble Hill recently completed a nine-day, 255-mile trek from Jackson to Jefferson City to bring attention to the area's highway needs.

But he drove Saturday to the sixth annual Republican rally dubbed "Old-fashioned Family Picnic," hosted by U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson at the Osage Center in Cape Girardeau.

The gathering drew other GOP heavyweights from around the state, including U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof and former U.S. Rep. Jim Talent.

Missouri state Sen. Peter Kinder briefly discussed the upcoming special session in the state legislature, slated for Sept. 5. He said that in addition to the scheduled agenda of prescription drugs, livestock and tax issues, he'll continue work on his investigation into Gov. Bob Holden's executive order on collective bargaining.

Holden apparently committed to signing the order, which grants collective bargaining rights to many state employees, before he took office.

"We may well have a lawsuit to file before the end of the month," Kinder said.

Between bites of barbecue and potato salad, politicians spent much of the evening talking of plans for the Republican party's future and Missouri's role in it.

Talent ready to run

Talent recently discussed publicly the possibility of challenging U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan for her seat next year. Carnahan is serving a two-year term in the Senate seat won by her husband, the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, three weeks after his death in a plane crash last October. The ballot still carried his name and he outpolled Republican incumbent John Ashcroft, who later was named attorney general.

She must run again in 2002 if she wants to serve the rest of the six-year term.

Talent has formed an exploratory committee before he makes a formal announcement, but said so far the support has been overwhelming.

Last year's close loss in the governor race still stings, he said.

"Believe me, I've gone over and over it in my mind ... It's getting to the point where I wish he would do a better job because every time he makes a mistake I kick myself for not having won," he said. "And I'm bruised all over."

Emerson introduced Hulshof with the broad hint that "if anyone is destined for higher office, it's him."

Hulshof, a Sikeston native, has been mentioned as a possible candidate to run against Holden in the 2004 gubernatorial race.

Like Emerson, Hulshof is facing a re-election campaign next year and has not announced any future plans.

Kinder is also being encouraged to run for governor, but said he's concentrating at the job at hand, not an election that's a couple years away.

Thanks for service

State Rep. David Schwab of Jackson was presented a plaque for his 14 years of service. Term limits prevent him from running again.

"Dave has brought the term public service' to a new level," Emerson said.

Schwab paid tribute to the late Bill Emerson, who showed him how "to make a difference," he said.

Before that, "I was content to stay on the farm," Schwab said.