HECKEMEYER CHALLENGED FOR 160TH SEAT

SIKESTON -- The race for the 160th District legislative seat pits an incumbent who wants to finish what he started four years ago in Jefferson City against a challenger who wants to restore checks and balances to state government.

State Rep. Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston, will square off against Republican challenger Peter Myers for the 160th District legislative seat Tuesday. The district takes in parts of Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties, with the majority in Scott County.

Heckemeyer said the election provides an opportunity to stress the agenda that he set forth from the first day he entered the Missouri Legislature.

"By reducing crime, reforming welfare and improving education, we can encourage economic growth in Southeast Missouri," he said.

He called crime reduction, welfare reform and education improvement three legs to the same stool of economic growth.

"Without each leg, we have no stool to sit on," Heckemeyer said.

He said that during his tenure in the legislature, he has worked on passing legislation for each leg. He plans to continue that agenda if he is re-elected.

He pointed to his work on passing tough sentencing laws and his efforts to secure more prison space to house prisoners as a part of his commitment to reducing crime. In the future, he plans to work to expand drug courts in Missouri.

He takes credit for working with the governor to pass welfare reform that helped move 318,000 people off the welfare roles. He wants to work to provide affordable health insurance and child care to parents to encourage them to get off the welfare roles and into the job force.

He also said that he fought for bringing more state education funds to the rural areas of Missouri to alleviate some of the financial inequities between urban and rural school districts.

Although he thinks the race will be close -- perhaps decided by 500 to 1,000 votes -- he still expects to win.

"You don't get into a race to lose," he said.

For Myers, the election is not only about issues but about restoring balance to state government. Democratic-dominated Missouri government has led to conditions not being right politically in the state, Myers said.

"Not that Republicans are magic," he said, "but currently there are no checks and balances in Missouri government."

The lack of checks and balances in the statehouse has led, Myers said, to a government that is too large and too intrusive.

"The government is too involved in our daily lives. The regulatory reach of the state and federal government is too strong," he said.

He cited environmental regulations which handcuff farmers, ranchers and private property owners throughout the state. While he wants to protect the environment, he does not want to hurt people who use the land for their livelihood.

Likewise, he said education should be controlled locally with no strings attached by the federal or state government just because they provide funding to the schools.

He also voiced strong opposition to abortion and the need for legislation to end partial birth abortions and state funding of abortions.

He denied allegations that his candidacy was begun only as a way of occupying Heckemeyer so Heckemeyer could not work on his father's campaign. Tony Heckemeyer is running against Jo Ann Emerson for the 8th Congressional District seat.

"I am old enough to retire, but I believe I can make a difference," Myers said about his reasons for pursuing the office.

He would not speculate on the outcome of the election.

"I've learned to always be scared to the last day and work hard," he said.

160TH DISTRICT STATE REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATES

Name: Anthony Joseph (Joe) Heckemeyer

Party: Democrat

Hometown: Sikeston

Age: 32

Education: BS in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri.

Job history: President of Wolfhole Inc., the Heckemeyer family farms. Co-owner of Stone Haus costume shop in Sikeston. State representative for the 160th District for four years.

Family: He and his wife, Kim, have been married for four months. They have no children.

Name: Peter Myers

Party: Republican

Hometown: Sikeston

Age: 67

Education: BS in agriculture from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Job history: Two years in the Army after college. Farmer for 28 years. A member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Reagan and Bush administrations where he served as chief of Soil Conservation Service, the assistant secretary for natural resources and the environment, and the deputy secretary of agriculture. Director of legislation for the National Pork Producers Council. Worked for the Farm Credit Council. In 1992, started Myers Land Management, managing farms for absentee landlords. President of Adopt-a-Farm, a Christian outreach to farm and ranch families.

Family: He and his wife, Mary, have five children, 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way.