Missouri’s only Democrat to hold statewide office on Monday announced a gubernatorial bid, positioning herself as a regular Missourian prepared to take on a corrupt government.
“I uncover it every day, dark money flows from corporations and lobbyists, the governor takes their money then does their bidding. Nothing gets done for you,” Auditor General Nicole Galloway said in her two-minute announcement video released last week.
{mosads}“So it’s no wonder your health care costs are through the roof, wages are still lagging. Parents are still worried about their kids being able to make a good life close to home. I’m one of them.”
The Democrat did not mention Republican Gov. Mike Parson by name, but referenced him and his administration throughout her video, detailing ways she said his government is hurting residents.
Galloway’s launch comes ahead of Parson’s official announcement to seek reelection, The Associated Press reports. His announcement is expected in coming weeks.
Parson was not elected governor. As lieutenant governor, he was sworn into office in May 2018 after Gov. Eric Greitens (R) resigned amid investigations into sexual misconduct and misuse of voter data files.
Galloway was appointed acting state auditor in 2015, under Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, after her predecessor died. She was elected to a full term in 2018.
“It’s my job to be an independent watchdog for taxpayers, to shine a light on government waste, and I found lots of it, uncovering $350 million dollars in waste and fraud. It led to 40 criminal charges against both Republicans and Democrats,” she said.
In her launch video, Galloway also called out Missouri’s “outrageous” abortion ban, signed into law by Parson in May.
The bill is among many restrictive bans passed throughout the nation in 2018. It would prevent a woman from getting an abortion at eight weeks, before many know they are pregnant, and includes no exceptions for rape and incense.
“It’s a broken system, the old way of doing politics,” she said. “As auditor I fought it, as governor I’ll end it. I’ll take a new approach, one that’s open, that puts your needs first, your health care, your wages, your family.”