Jason Smith will be the Republican candidate to replace Jo Ann Emerson in southeastern Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District.
Smith spent the last two months campaigning to an electorate of 86 people - the voting members of the district’s Republican committee. Each party’s committee taps a candidate to run in this summer’s special election. On Saturday, the GOP selected Smith in Van Buren after six rounds of voting.
Jason Smith says he travelled ten thousand miles during the campaign, and that should help prepare him for the election.
“I already have the groundwork laid, and that’s why we’re going to hit the ground running starting right after this press conference.”
The 32-year old from Salem emerged over more seasoned politicians like Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, former Bill and Jo Ann Emerson staffer Lloyd Smith and former state Senator Jason Crowell.
Jo Ann Emerson represented this southeastern Missouri district for 17 years, but resigned from Congress in January.
Democrats will select their nominee at a similar meeting on Saturday, February 16.