| Campaign
2008
Great Public Schools for Every Child
PAC
Council recommends Jay Nixon for governor
At the
conclusion of the Missouri NEA Representative Assembly, the
MNEA Political Action Committee Executive Council met and
voted overwhelmingly to recommend Jay Nixon for governor in
the 2008 election. This decision was the result of a process
that included extended debate and input from members around
the state.
In February
2007, MNEA President Greg Jung suggested that the PAC Council
consider an early recommendation in this race.
“I
want to provide time for us to incorporate our ideas for supporting
public education in the platform of the candidate,”
Jung says. “As we all know, the governor sets the tone
for how we handle issues. I suggested the early recommendation
because the tone of the debate needs to shift from blaming
teachers and other education employees to supporting the people
on the frontlines in schools across Missouri.”
Because
this is an early recommendation, MNEA’s guidelines require
a two-thirds vote of the PAC Council for approval. The Council
members asked questions and debated the pitfalls and advantages
of such a recommendation. Council members asked MNEA’s
executive officers to collect input from the Board of Directors
and R.A. delegates through a straw poll.
In March,
the Board of Directors discussed the possibility of an early
recommendation in this race. They, too, debated the pitfalls
and advantages of making an early recommendation, and they
concurred with the need to seek input from the R.A. before
proceeding.
In March
and April pre-R.A. hearings, members discussed their concerns
and made suggestions about the issue.
The most
viable candidates in each of the major political parties were
invited to speak to the R.A. delegates. Attorney General Nixon
delivered comments and answered delegates’ questions
April 21 during the business meeting. Gov. Matt Blunt was
invited to speak to the R.A. but did not attend.
On April
22, R.A. delegates voiced their opinions on a two-part, straw
poll ballot. First, delegates were asked if they support “an
early recommendation in the 2008 governor’s race”
or “no early recommendation.” Almost 84 percent
of the delegates voted for an early recommendation. Next,
delegates were asked to choose Matt Blunt or Jay Nixon or
to fill in the blank for the candidate MNEA should support
if the PAC Council makes an early recommendation. Almost 92
percent of delegates voted to “early recommend”
Jay Nixon.
The PAC
Council discussed the outcome of the straw poll and debated
the question before overwhelmingly voting to recommend Jay
Nixon as governor in the 2008 election.
Jay
Nixon campaign press releases
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