Pratt aims for higher office

Representative Bryan Pratt plans to make official what many have already suspected: his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the 8th District of the Missouri State Senate.

The seat is currrently held by Matt Bartle, Republican from Lee’s Summit, who is prevented from running for re-election due to term limits.

And it could be a crowded race for the Republican nomination, with fellow House members Gary Dusenberg, R-Blue Springs, and Brian Yates, R-Lee’s Summit, as possible challengers. All three are facing term limits for their current seats.

Pratt has represented the 55th District in southern Blue Springs, Grain Valley and Oak Grove.

He is planning a campaign kick-off on Sunday from 4-6 p.m. at Legacy Park in Lee’s Summit in the shelter off Cornflower Drive. A free cookout will be offered for supporters.

Pratt, who has secured four election victories in the Missouri House of Representatives since 2002, said Wednesday that the decision was a natural one.

“Most of the decision comes from the fact that I love public service,” Pratt said.

In addition to serving as Speaker Pro-Tem, Pratt also serves as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. With experience in efforts to cut state taxes, increase jobs with benefits, improve schools and fight for conservative values, Pratt said those issues will remain at his campaign’s core.

Still, Pratt said the campaign at this moment is “money race.” As of today, Pratt said he expects to report having raised about $220,000 for the campaign, one that could be decided in August with the Republican primary. At this point, there is no Democrat who has announced intentions to run for the seat.

“And right now we’re busy putting together a large team of the volunteers who’ve offered to help,” he said. “At this point we have about 180 people.”

Should he win, Pratt said he would focus on many of the same issues that he has focused on in the House, including efforts to cut taxes; to ensure the quality of education in Eastern Jackson County remains strong and competitive, and to work to attract jobs.

The latter issue is an important one for Pratt, specifically recent efforts by the city of Blue Springs in its effort to direct state tax credits to the Missouri Innovation Park. Pratt has been a strong voice for the ambitious project, a project that has experienced a set back in the Senate.

“I hope we can get it passed this year,” Pratt said. “And... I can appreciate the concern about tax credit spending, but my biggest concern has always been how we can get the biggest bang for our buck.”

Pratt also said he would be a voice of conservative issues, including pro-life legislation and the rights to pray on public property, which has recently run into some opposition.

For now, no other candidate has made any official announcement.

Rep. Gary Dusenberg of the 54th District said Tuesday that he is “testing the waters” about a possible run.

“But I haven’t made up my mind just yet,” he said. “As it is now, I’m just talking to many people.”

While he plans to make an announcement soon, Rep. Brian Yates of the 56th District said Pratt “needs a challenge in the primary” because it will be indicative of who will win the general election.

Yates said he has stood up against excess government spending, tax increases, efforts to dismantle local schools and abortion. In addition, he said he’s supported efforts to bring jobs back to the state and make government run more efficiently.

“Recently, I fought for ethics reform at the state capitol to clean up past and current corruption, and I fought against an earmark pork laden federal stimulus bill that wasted millions of taxpayer dollars.

“Eastern Jackson County residents need to make sure they elect a state senator that represents them instead of doing what is politically expedient, a true conservative that has consistently stood up against tax increases and increases in government spending.”

Bartle said Wednesday that he intends to step away from public service when he is termed out. First elected in 1998 to the Missouri House of Representatives, he was later elected to the 8th District in 2002.

“It’s been quite challenging during my years of service, one that has seen state revenues decline two years in a row three separate times,” Bartle said, adding that he knows several people who may be possible candidates for his seat.

“But I’m not endorsing any of them, because they are my friends and colleagues,” he said.