Old School Progressive Conservative

Jim is a fifth-generation Ozarker raised in a conservative home by hard-working Depression-era parents on a small dairy farm. He graduated from Republic High School and Missouri State University, served in the Army, operated a cattle farm, taught math in local public schools, and helped launch the Missouri A+ Schools program.

Jim knows our history and cares about our future.

Jim voted straight Republican for over 20 years, but could not suppress his free-thinking independent mind. He began to loves politics, work in campaigns, and question everything. He ran for office, never misses a vote, and has gained some notoriety for expressing what some might refer to as “robust opinions” online and opinions in local tabloids. 

Jim is an ideological novelty. He might be described as a fiscal conservative and social liberal, but detests being boxed in and misunderstood by labeling.

He watched in horror as his Republican party morphed from Eisenhower progressive conservatism into a libertarian neo-liberalism and began to court the racist and bigot votes and promote conspiracy theories.

He is horrified by the Democratic Party giving lip-service to workers while supporting economic policy that decimates wages, benefits, and safety and security while rewarding companies that cheat on taxes and move business overseas. The Democrats promote war, freely fund the Military/industrial complex, and lie about any real intent to eliminate the insurance industry in favor of a National Health Insurance program like Medicare For All. The Democrats act like they care but have not pushed any significant legislation to reduce domestic and racial violence, lift people out of poverty, fight climate change, or protect democracy.