Voters in 156th District re-elect House speaker

By MARK BLISS

Southeast Missourian

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton was re-elected Tuesday to a fourth two-year term in the legislature.

Jetton, a Republican, defeated Democratic challenger Michael Winder, an ironworker from Marquand, Mo.

Jetton received 7,502 votes to 5,774 for Winder. The Marble Hill Republican, who received nearly 57 percent of the vote, won in all three counties in the district: Bollinger, Wayne and Madison.

"This is a huge victory, a big margin in a tough year for Republicans," he said. The House speaker said his support for cutting taxes on Social Security benefits was popular with voters in his district. "I got a lot of feedback there," he said.

Jetton said Amendment 2, the stem-cell initiative, drew conservative voters to the polls intent on voting against it. The Republican lawmaker believes many of those voters also backed him.

Jetton credited his record of service to the district in helping him win re-election. His position as head of the House didn't hurt either, he said.

Winder contended during the election campaign that Jetton was more focused on his future political career than on serving constituents in the 156th District.

Jetton spent much of the fall stumping for other GOP candidates around the state.

But Jetton said he didn't ignore local voters. "I did go out and campaign all over the state, but I did a lot of campaigning back home," he said. Under Missouri term limits, Jetton can't run for the House again. But on election night, Jetton said he wasn't ready to talk about what he'll do in two years.

Voter Ruby Campbell of Marble Hill said she cast her ballot for Jetton. "I think he has done well for us," she said.

Marble Hill-area voter Gale Hastings identified himself as a Democrat but said he voted for Jetton. "When I ask for help from Rod Jetton, I get it," he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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