Tagged: Jo Ann Emerson

The Missouri House has given first-round approval to legislation that would require special elections to fill vacancies in statewide offices.

If passed, House Bill 110 would only allow the Governor to appoint a temporary placeholder who would not be eligible to run in the special election.  House Speaker Pro-tem Jason Smith (R, Salem), the bill’s sponsor, says it’s not a deliberate swipe at Democratic Governor Jay Nixon.

Reporting by Jacob McClelland and Chris McDaniel.

Updated at 2:28 with announcement of the date of the special election.

As expected, U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson submitted her letter of resignation to Governor Jay Nixon and House speaker John Boehner on Tuesday. Emerson is leaving to become president and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Now, Nixon must call for a special election to fill out the remainder of Emerson’s term.

Reporting from Jacob McCleland of KRCU.

The Republicans who hope to replace Jo Ann Emerson in the U.S. House of Representatives stressed their conservative credentials while trying to differentiate themselves in a crowded field at a voter forum in Cape Girardeau Thursday night.