Follow the money

Both Republican candidates for Missouri’s 33rd Senate District told us to, “follow the money” during Thursday night’s debate. Travis Smith and Brad Hudson appeared together in West Plains to debate reader-submitted questions. The two went back and forth on nine questions ranging from taxes to ag interests to the Second Amendment. 

 

It was during a question on pro-life stances, however, that the gloves first came off. Responding to the question, “Who is the true pro-life candidate in this race,” Smith told the audience to “follow the money.”

 

“Brad got the Missouri Right to Life endorsement which has to do with voting records which I felt like had nothing to do with pro-life legislation,” Smith said. “There are some people who did not get endorsement for the trigger law, including the person who signed the bill itself…Follow the money when you’re looking at endorsements…There is no way one of us could ever consider ourselves more pro-life than the other because we are both very pro-life, and we will always stand for the innocent.”

 

Hudson fired back. 

 

“I am the pro-life candidate in this race, and that’s why I am endorsed by Missouri Right to Life,” Hudson said. “Sometimes they do dual endorsements. They could have in this race. My opponent needs to answer for that.”

 

The next big bomb of the night was Hudson accusing Smith of running because he received a sizable donation from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Karla Eslinger. Neither candidate said her name, but they are both running for the Senate seat she vacated to become DESE Commissioner. 

 

Answering a question about why he chose to run against Hudson after telling Howell County locals he would support him, Smith said, “My phone started going crazy…People all over the district were asking me to run.”

 

“There are approximately 150,000 reasons why Travis decided to run after committing not to,” Hudson rebutted. “He wants you to think it was an uprising of the people…He was promised a lot of money if he ran, essentially a gift from the commissioner of DESE. DESE needs abolished. Now which legislator is going to do that? The one whose campaign is primarily being funded by the commissioner?”

 

Smith answered in a later question on PAC funding that he did not receive the donation in question until four months after he announced his run. 

 

Howell County News reached out to Eslinger for comment, but she was not available prior to press time. The donation in question is from a PAC called Conservative Leadership of the Ozarks, under treasurer Terry Newton. This PAC was originally filed for Eslinger as a candidate but has since been re-filed for Smith. 

 

Hudson later went after Smith for failing to stand firm on conservative values in Jefferson City. Both men have served together in the Missouri House of Representatives. 

 

Smith responded, “In the last four years, the Missouri Senate is more dysfunctional than it ever has been. There’s a group of people that said it’s my way or no way, and if they don’t get their way, they shut everything down,” referring to the Freedom Caucus with which Hudson is aligned. “You don’t have to compromise on your core principles to get things done. You just have to be a leader and work with people.”

Both candidates re-echoed their advice to “follow the money” in closing. 

 

“Look at who is supporting us. I am not part of the establishment or the new world order. I am supported by regular people who want someone who is going to work hard for them in the Senate, and that’s what we’re gonna do,” Smith said.

 

“Look at the individuals backing us,” Hudson said as he mentioned his endorsements from Missouri Right to Life and the Missouri Firearms Coalition. “It’s not enough to go along to get along. You can’t fight when beholden to lobbyists and special interests. Follow the money.”

 

In an exit poll with 102 responses, 51 respondents said they were voting for Hudson, 47 said they are voting for Smith. Four say they are undecided.