Republican House candidates stump for votes in 58th District

Two Republicans are vying for the state House of Representatives District 58 seat, which has been held by state Rep. David Wood, R-Versailles, for the past eight years.

Wood could not run for re-election because of term limits.

Voters will decide between Timothy Faber, of Laurie, and Willard Haley, of Eldon, in the Aug. 4 primary election. There is no Democratic candidate, so the winner of the Republican primary will win the seat.

The seat includes all of Morgan County, the southern half of Moniteau County and a section of northwest Miller County, including Eldon.

Haley grew up on a Cooper County dairy farm and spent 32 years as a teacher and administrator in Eldon. He and his wife, Jerri, have been married 36 years.

Faber is a doctor of ministry and is director of missions at Lake of the Ozarks Baptist Church. He and his wife, Teresa, have been married 34 years.

The candidates share conservative values and have some similar views on issues.

A major issue facing the state right now is whether it has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic well. The candidates agree Missouri found itself in a no-win situation and had to close down to keep the pandemic from spreading as rapidly as it did in other states.

"Even so, I think we could have done better," Faber said. "I understand drastic action when there are so may unknowns early on, but I think we should have opened up faster, as soon as we saw it wasn't going to be as bad as we first thought."

Allowing counties to take local control of the health response was effective because of the wide diversity within them, Haley said.

"Our economy has suffered, but opening back up in stages has allowed for citizens to remain safe while restoring some normalcy in our daily lives," Haley said. "Looking back, sure, some things could have been handled differently; however, I believe overall, our state and national responses were appropriate."

Both candidates expressed concerns over the cost of expanded Medicaid, should voters pass Amendment 2 in the August election.

Haley said he has concerns about the unknowns associated with the cost of expanding MO HealthNet, Missouri's Medicaid program. He pointed out the net fiscal effects of expansion are estimated to be anywhere from a cost of $200 million to a savings of $1 billion, which may force the state to consider cutting other programs to maintain a balanced budget.

"I can't support expanding Medicaid at the cost of cutting other programs," Haley said. "We do not have the finances to fund the expansion without making cuts in areas such as education, highways or other important programs."

Faber said he is concerned there is no guarantee the federal government will continue to pay 90 percent of the cost to expand MO HealthNet.

"(Expansion) is driving our federal government into even more debt, which will result in higher taxes," Faber said. "The state's share of 10 percent will have to be funded somehow. This is a financial burden we cannot afford."

He argued some states are passing the costs of expanding Medicaid on to hospitals, who then pass it on to all patients, which increases costs for all. He also argued neither the state nor the federal Constitution requires government to provide medical care for citizens.

Maybe the ballot initiative process should be more difficult, the candidates said.

Faber said the number of required signatures on petitions (5 percent of voters from each of six of the eight congressional districts in the state) is too few. The percentage should be raised, he said; otherwise, once an issue makes its way to the ballot, there is little opportunity for debate or deliberation on it.

On the other hand, a bill going through the Legislature is debated in committees and on chamber floors before it is passed and sent to the governor's desk for a signature, he said.

"Thus, the bill has been through more scrutiny and consideration, therefore it needs support from a broader array of Missourians in order to pass," Faber said. "This process ensures that legislation is not passed in a reactionary or knee-jerk manner and all sides of the issue are considered."

Ballot initiatives do not provide true measures of the majority views of the state, Haley said, just a majority of those who vote.

"Also, each initiative petition is expensive for the state," he continued.

Ballot initiatives cost the state millions of dollars, Haley said.

The Missouri Secretary of State's Office reported in its Initiative Petition Process Overview that in 2018, it cost $5.8 million to publish one referendum, six initiative petitions and one petition from the state Legislature.

Haley argues voters should choose him because he has lived in the district for 37 years and has a background that includes workforce development, career training, agriculture, education and business development.

Faber argues he is more passionate about government adhering to the limits of the Constitution, and he would work to rein in the overreach of bureaucracy, agencies and departments of Missouri.