On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Sen. Denny Hoskins talks about his bid for Missouri Secretary of State.
Hoskins is a Republican from Warrensburg who has served in the Missouri Senate since 2017. He’s barred from running again due to term limits and announced months ago he would try to succeed Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.
When filing closed, Hoskins was one of eight GOP candidates running for secretary of state.
Here’s what Hoskins talked about during the show:
- His support of hand counting ballots, an idea that he says would engender more confidence in elections.
- Being opposed to absentee balloting, with the exceptions of people serving overseas in the military and Missourians with disabilities. Instead, he’d like to make Election Day a holiday, so people could get off work to go vote.
- Efforts to make the Missouri Constitution more difficult to amend.
- Whether sports betting will be legalized. Hoskins has sought to link legalization of sports gaming with creating a regulatory framework for the video terminals.
Before running for the Senate, Hoskins served eight years in the Missouri House. The certified public accountant was elected House speaker pro tem, which is the second-highest position in the chamber.
Generally, Hoskins has won his elections by wide margins, except his first one in 2008. That’s when he defeated Warrensburg Mayor Jim Jackson by 122 votes.
The other Republican candidates for secretary of state are: state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold; House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres; state Rep. Adam Schwadron, R-St. Charles County; Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller; Wentzville Municipal Judge Mike Carter; St. Louis County political organizer Jamie Corley, and St. Louis real estate investor Valentina Gomez.
