.jpg)
By Johnny Kampis | Missouri Watchdog
ST. LOUIS — The three main Republican challengers for the Missouri U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Claire McCaskill, say cutting the federal budget would be among their top priorities.
John Brunner agreed with U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, at a Wednesday fundraiser in Clayton that the GOP should take a “meat ax” to federal spending.
Sam Steelman, a campaign worker for Sarah Steelman and her eldest son, said, “Sarah definitely agrees we need to cut the out-of-control spending in Congress. Congress’ idea of cutting spending is cutting the increase.”
He told Missouri Watchdog on Thursday that Sarah Steelman was campaigning and unavailable for comment.
Sam Steelman added that she supports zero-based budgeting, which requires each agency to demonstrate the funding need for every line item in its budget.
Steelman has her cross hairs on the Environmental Protection Agency, accusing it of “choking off jobs, particularly in Missouri,” Sam Steelman said. Sarah Steelman referenced a proposed rule that would regulate greenhouse gas emissions, which critics say would end the construction of coal-fired generators across the U.S.
Representatives for Todd Akin did not return a call and email from Missouri Watchdog for comment, but the congressman, who has served Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District since 2001, holds a fiscally conservative record. Last year, he voted for a balanced budget amendment and has voted against increasing the country’s debt ceiling several times.
Brunner also could not be reached for comment Thursday, but on Wednesday he said he supported reining in the cost of entitlement programs, such as Social Security, for future retirees. He called Johnson’s plans to increase the age for Social Security eligibility a “common sense approach.”
