ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - In a week, many Missouri voters head to polls and among their choices will be a new governor.
Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, who is the Republican gubernatorial candidate for Missouri governor joined KMOX's Total Information A.M. Tuesday and he says the two biggest topics that he hears the most when he goes around the state are economy and immigration.
"We are going to be the jobs governor," said Kehoe on KMOX Tuesday. "I've spent 35 years in small business, I started right there in St. Louis. Dave Sinclair was my mentor and trainer and worked very hard through several businesses in the area, including in mid-Missouri, and created hundreds and hundreds of jobs over my career."
"Being able to sell the state and work with businesses so they can expand and grow and provide opportunities for other Missourians is a huge priority for me. That's how I made it out of North St. Louis. That's how my family made it out by having opportunities."
Kehoe was asked by Total Information A.M. host Megan Lynch about his thoughts on Proposition A, which would see the state's minimum wage gradually increase to $15 an hour by 2026 and guarantee paid sick leave rights if Missouri voters vote to pass it next Tuesday.
"All my legislative career, we need to keep government out of people's lives and now all of a sudden, we're going to tell private businesses what they have to pay somebody and what the fringe benefits should be," said Kehoe. "Look, we're in a very competitive workforce right now and so employers are compensating employees based on the competition up the road that we will hire this person if they don't."
"Good trained employees will have a good work habit who are showing up on time and are adding to the company's workforce are going to be paid for by the private sector and I'm very comfortable with private sector determining what those wages and benefits should be."
Kehoe was also asked about the ballot initiative to legalize sports betting in Missouri and while he does support legalizing sports betting in Missouri, he also believes the initiative petition process in the state of Missouri is 'too easy'.
"I think it's too easy for anyone to get something on our ballot that changes our constitution, we've seen it happen several times in the past few years," said Kehoe. " I believe as the legislature moves forward, I'm hopeful they'll pass something that will make it more difficult, but still allows access, to initiative petitions and makes the bar a little bit higher."
Kehoe was asked about the results of the 2020 election and if Joe Biden won the 2020 election after a report from the Kansas City Star that his campaign has questioned the legitimacy of the Biden presidency.
"I think Joe Biden has been a horrible president for country, but he has been the president," said Kehoe. "The Star's report was absolutely wrong. We have said all along Donald Trump tried to and did hire the best attorneys he could from around the country to defend his position on the 2020 ballot."
"He was unable to do it and that's been my statement for four years. He was unable to do it and we ended up with a very flawed presidency in Joe Biden. I'm concentrating now on 2024."
You can listen to the player above to hear the full interview with Kehoe.
