Nixon, Spence focus on jobs in Mo. governor's bid

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and his Republican challenger both want to bolster Missouri's economy with more jobs. Nixon says he's making progress in that regard. Challenger Dave Spence thinks he could do better.

Spence easily turned back several primary challengers Tuesday and Nixon prevailed over nominal opposition to set up the November general election battle for Missouri's chief executive.

Spence is a suburban St. Louis businessman making who poured nearly $3.3 million into his primary campaign -- his first run for office. He touts himself as an experienced "job creator" and claims Missouri has fallen behind economically under Nixon's watch. He points to rankings that listed Missouri near the bottom in job growth and per capita funding for higher education in recent years, while noting that the state's largest school districts are unaccredited and nearly 1 million residents receive food stamps.

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2012, file photo Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, right, shakes hands with lawmakers as he enters the House chamber to deliver the annual State of the State address at the capitol in Jefferson City, Mo. Several men most Missourians probably never had heard of are competing in a Republican primary for the chance to challenge Nixon. None has ever held public office before. But by traveling thousands of miles and collectively spending millions of their own dollars, the Republican candidates have gradually been making themselves known. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

"People are saying enough is enough," Spence said in an interview Tuesday night. "Enough of the career politicians. It's time for real-world leaders with real-world experience to get in there and straighten this out."

Nixon presents a significantly different viewpoint of Missouri's economy. He noted that the state's unemployment rate is below the national average and asserted that it has dropped more dramatically than almost every other state. He touted that, during his tenure, Missouri expanded a college scholarship program and froze tuition for two years at public universities.

"We have more work to do, but we're moving forward," Nixon said in an election-night speech, adding, "I can say without doubt that I am more optimistic than ever before about the future of our state."

Nixon, 56, is seeking his second term as governor after spending a record 16 years as attorney general and six before that in the state Senate. He received 86 percent of the vote in a Democratic primary against two lesser-known candidates.

Spence, 54, received 60 percent of the vote in a four-way Republican primary, compared to 16 percent for Kansas City attorney Bill Randles and 15 percent for suburban St. Louis businessman and anti-abortion activist Fred Sauer. John Weiler received 9 percent of the vote.

Spence stepped down last year as president and CEO of St. Louis-based Alpha Packaging, which makes plastic bottles for pharmaceuticals and other personal health care products. He bought the business in 1985, only a few years after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a home economics degree. Spence touts that he transformed the company over a couple decades from 15 employees and annual sales of $350,000 to a firm with 800 employees and nearly $200 million in annual sales. He sold it in 2010.

He also has served as chairman of Legacy Packaging, another St. Louis-based pharmaceutical packaging firm. And Spence was on the board of St. Louis-based Reliance Bancshares when it decided in early 2011 that it couldn't repay $40 million from the federal government's Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP.

Spence's involvement with the bank has been frequently cited by Democrats, as well as by Randles.

Randles traveled Missouri extensively to attend local Republican events but never was able to raise much cash to counter Spence's message on TV.

Sauer poured several hundred thousand dollars into his gubernatorial bid, but didn't start campaigning until a few months before the election.