brian johanning

Since I announced in March that I wouldn’t run for Secretary of State or any office in 2024, I have remained relatively quiet on most political matters. People who know me personally understand that I have always been a bit of a “reluctant politician.” Doors opened, and I walked through them, for which I am grateful to God, but I never tried too hard to push open a door that wasn’t ajar. Many around Missouri are beginning to decide who they will vote for in the upcoming primary elections. I won’t offer an endorsement or opinion in every race. I have friends and colleagues in many of these races, whom I respect and know would do a fine job if elected. However, I feel compelled to speak out and provide some input on the Republican race for Governor, based on my experiences. I know all three candidates personally and have served in the Senate with two of them. I will not speak negatively about any of them. There’s enough negativity in politics without me adding to the noise. I simply want to take a moment to tell you why you should vote for Mike Kehoe. I have known Mike for more than a decade. I first knew him when I was a private citizen, then as a State Representative, and later as his colleague for two years in the State Senate. I was honored to become his successor as the Senate Majority Leader in 2019 after he was appointed by Governor Parson to be Missouri’s Lieutenant Governor. During this primary season, many people have asked me about Mike. Their general consensus is that he seems like a normal guy, one of us. I quickly affirm that this is absolutely true. His story is phenomenal. Growing up dirt poor in North St. Louis and working tirelessly to become one of the most successful businessmen in this great state, his story could be the plot of a political drama on Netflix. But this story is true, and it is a huge part of what makes Mike who he is. By today’s standards, I am part of the “swamp.” I’ve been in public office for 12 years. I have been in those “smoke filled rooms” (none of them were smoke filled) negotiating significant legislation that I hope and believe has positively impacted millions of Missourians. Being around for that long has also given me perspective on the kind of person who can be effective in service in Jefferson City. I have said publicly many times that you can get your name in the paper or on the evening news as a politician in one of two ways: by aiming to make noise or aiming to make history. It is easier to make noise, but this type of noise rarely, if ever, leads to progress for the people of Missouri. Mike Kehoe is a leader in the truest sense. He isn’t interested in political shortcuts or stunts designed to put his name in lights. He is someone whose success in his career and private life has prepared him to be a generationally effective leader for the people of Missouri. If you follow Mike on social media, you know that no one in this race is working as hard as he and Claudia during this campaign. Trust me when I say that work ethic won’t wane when he is elected Governor this November. That work ethic isn’t part of the show to get him elected; it’s just who he is. It’s in his DNA. It’s all he has ever known—working harder than everyone else to achieve big successes. I am certain of this: Mike is the only candidate for Governor who has both the vision to craft a big, bold Conservative agenda and the relationships needed to bring that agenda to fruition. The second part of that statement is crucial. One thing I’ve learned in Jefferson City is that no matter how much power you have, you cannot bully people into submission. It just doesn’t work. The Governor has the bully pulpit, but the House and the Senate have the lion’s share of influence in getting big ideas through the process to the Governor’s desk. If the Governor doesn’t have the relational capital and trust built with the legislature, his agenda might as well be a blank slate. It won’t pass. Mike is the only candidate who has put in the sweat equity needed to build those relationships. And trust me when I say, they are deep and numerous. Legislators aren’t lining up behind Mike because they’re part of the “swamp.” Most of them have been in Jefferson City for less than four years and can’t name more than a handful of lobbyists by name. They just know Mike. They’ve seen him operate. They’ve seen him in their offices, asking what he can do to help them. If you want to do big, bold Conservative things, trust me when I say Mike Kehoe is the only candidate for Governor who is equipped to deliver. No one will work harder or be more effective. Mike Kehoe is the right leader for Missouri right now, and I encourage all my friends and acquaintances to pull a Republican ballot and vote for Mike on August 6th. #MOLeg #MOGov