Nine Republican Candidates running for the U.S. Senate Primary

We seem to have a large number of Republican candidates running for the U.S. Senate down here in District  29 which includes the counties of Lawrence, McDonald, Barry, Stone, Taney and Ozark. I thought it might be instructional to post a short recap on each. Please advise me of any errors or omissions. Just please remember to vote August 3rd.

Bob Praprotnik is a Reagan conservative from St. Louis who owns a small business and has over 20 years experience in the architecture industry. He is running because he believes "that freedom is being destroyed and the Constitution is being ignored completely by the Obama administration." Praprotnik thinks that taxes should be reduced to ensure job growth and business development and is opposed to the current spending by Congress. Government rules and regulations should be revised to allow for less taxation and more money to the people. For health care, he would like to allow insurance companies to cross state lines and to revise malpractice costs. On immigration, Praprotnik would like to enable illegal immigrants to become legal through the proper paperwork and processes.

Hector Maldonado left active duty in order to run for senate. He has 15 years experience in the United States Army and has been deployed to Iraq. He became a U.S citizen in 1995. Originally born in Mexico and now residing in Sullivan, Mo., Maldonado is against swift amnesty as a solution to immigration. He believes that we need to first, secure the borders and then, work with illegal’s who are already in the country. He also thinks that government needs to be more careful about work visas in order to ensure that jobs aren't given away to immigrants that should be given to American citizens. Maldonado is also against government mandated health insurance and is also for allowing insurance companies to cross state lines. He is for small business and cutting taxes.

Kristi Nichols is from Lee's Summit, Mo., but currently resides in Kansas City, Mo. Nichols has worked in the airline industry for over 20 years and served on a special assignment in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She is a Tea Party organizer and a strong conservative, supportive of lower taxes and cutting spending on congressional "earmark" projects. Nichols also wants to increase choice and competitiveness in the health care industry and also supports expansion of the Health Savings Accounts, which allows people to save money for medical expenses tax-free. She is a member of the National Rifle Association and for second amendment rights. She is also against granting amnesty to illegal immigrants and wants to ensure that current immigration laws are upheld before making improvements on the current system.

Deborah Solomon is from Independence, Mo. and is running as an Abraham Lincoln center right Republican. She has a home-based marketing business and has been a substitute teacher in several school districts. For health care reform, Solomon wants to encourage community health centers to provide the primary services necessary. She also wants to put in a balanced budget amendment in order to avoid future federal deficits and wasteful spending. On immigration reform, Solomon wants to secure our borders and to create a fair process so illegal immigrants can become legalized. She's also pro-life and a supporter of the citizen's right to own a gun. She is a graduate of Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo., and Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan.
 
Davis Conway was born in St. Louis and currently resides in St. Peters, Mo. He is president of Affinity Electrical Contracting and got a degree from Rankin Technical School. Conway wants smaller government and thinks the government is currently too large and uncontrollable. He thinks that "it is full of needless jobs, agencies, and policy solely for the benefit of gaining votes, employing friends and family, hiding money and paybacks." He would like the government out of the education system and out of our pockets. He also thinks that we ought to do more to enforce current immigration laws. Conway is also against unions, as they have too much power and are taking away money, jobs and resources away from small business. He is also a member of the National Rifle Association and a life member of Mensa.

Roy Blunt was born in Niangua, Mo. and currently resides in Springfield, Mo. He became Missouri's Secretary of State in 1984 and was president of Southwest Baptist University for four years. Blunt has also been a U.S representative since 1996. He has several solutions in mind for health care reform, including enhancing health information technology, allowing insurance companies to cross state lines, and expanding health coverage for small businesses. On the economy, Blunt wants to control government spending and also supports a balanced budget amendment. He also wants to restore checks and balances and to give education funding and control back to the states. Blunt also has a 100 percent rating from National Right to Life and the National Rifle Association.  He has received the highest award from the Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Business.

Mike Vontz is from Lake St. Louis, Mo. and sees our deficit spending as our nation's greatest problem. To cut spending, Vontz wants to reduce the salaries and benefits for legislators. He is also against the bipartisan commission set up to investigate what needs to be cut from the budget and want to lower taxes. Vontz also thinks that we need to do everything possible to stop illegal immigration and to come up with an identification system for potential alien workers into the country. He is against term limits for legislators. Though pro-life, Vontz is against outlawing abortion entirely, as it doesn't seem feasible to imprison doctors and young women for murder if an abortion were to take place. He is supportive of legislating an informed decision for the mother and for outlawing abortions up to a certain point in pregnancy.

Chuck Purgason represents the 33rd District in the Missouri Senate, which includes Camden, Howell, Laclede, Oregon, Shannon, Texas and Wright counties. Elected to the Missouri Senate in 2004 and re-elected in 2008, Sen. Purgason previously served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1996 through 2004. He is against the goernment mandating the purchase of health insurance and was instrumental in getting Proposition C on the August ballot. Purgason is in support of building a fence along the border and securing that border. He also believes in eliminating the Department of Education and returning the role of education back to the states. Purgason is also the founder and owner of Ozark Wings Hatchery and Hunting Preserve.

Tony Laszacs currently resides in Waynesville, Mo. and spent over 20 years in the U.S Army. He currently works at a nonprofit research and development organization that predominantly provides technical expertise for the U.S government. Laszacs thinks that educators need to be the ones designing curriculum and evaluating instruction practices and that government standardization methods have done more harm than good. He also thinks that taxes need to be reduced in order to balance the federal budget and to cut spending. This would also help create jobs because lower taxes help small businesses and investors. He also thinks that we need to cut wasteful programs and fraudulent spending. Laszacs has a bachelor's degree in law enforcement and has experience preparing communities against terrorism.