Senate candidate Kander campaigns in Cape, says it's time to 'fire this Congress'

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander said it is time to “fire this Congress” during a stop Monday in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The Democratic candidate, who is running for U.S. Senate, is on a 50-stop bus tour of the state.

Kander seeks to unseat U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, who he contends is part of a failing Congress that has not addressed the nation’s serious problems.

“The 114th Congress has gone down as one of the most dysfunctional, least productive Congresses in decades, with the Senate on track to work the fewest number of days in 60 years,” he said.

Speaking to about 20 local Democrats at Cup ’n’ Cork restaurant on Spanish Street, Kander said Congress left earlier this month on its seven-week recess without passing legislation to address the Zika virus or appointing a new U.S. Supreme Court judge.

An Army veteran, Kander said Blunt has not taken responsibility for the legislative failings.

“What he does is blame others,” Kander said.

Kander said he would be a different, less partisan lawmaker.

Kander, who favors adding a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, said he will be “different than the folks spouting partisan talking points at those conventions that get nothing done in Washington.”

Kander said, “I’m running for Senate because we won’t change Washington until we change the people we send there.”

He said he wants to do “what is right for Missouri.”

Kander said he has worked with Democratic and Republican lawmakers to balance the state budget without raising taxes.

As secretary of state, Kander said he has cut his budget by more than $1 million and cut red tape to help small businesses “hire and thrive.”

Kander told the crowd, “Missourians have a simple question to answer this November: Do you like the way things are going in Washington? I’ve traveled to every county in this state over the past 10 months, and nearly everyone I talk to, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or independents, live in urban or rural areas, or vote every election or don’t vote at all, answered with a resounding ‘no.’”

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

11 S. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.