By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek is making his final pitch before Republican voters decide their nominee for his job, visiting with Buchanan County Republicans in St. Joseph Thursday.
Gov. Mike Parson appointed Malek Treasurer after then-Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick won election as state Auditor.
Malek, new to politics, says he has enjoyed the campaign.
“I enjoyed meeting with great people of our state,” Malek tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “They have been very warm, welcoming, and open-minded and open-hearted to my coming to their offices, homes. It has been a great experience.”
Next week’s Republican primary in Missouri is crowded, up and down the ballot, as several state legislators and others file for open seats for statewide office. Nine Republicans are on the ballot for governor, hoping to succeed Gov. Parson. The decisions by Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to run for governor left their seats open. State Sen. Bill Eigel of Weldon Springs is the other major Republican candidate for governor. Both Malek and Attorney General Andrew Bailey were appointed by Parson and are running for a full term in office.
Malek speculates many Republicans saw him as merely a placeholder who wouldn’t run for the office.
Five Republican challengers entered the race, highlighted by state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester and state Rep. Cody Smith of Carthage. Also on the ballot are Tina Goodrick of St. Joseph, Lori Rook of Springfield, and Kara Pujji of Berkeley.
If nominated by Republicans and elected in November, Malek would like to introduce two new programs in the Treasurer’s office.
Malek says he will ask the legislature to make a financial literacy course mandatory for all Missouri high school students. He also wants to create investment pools that would allow small local governments to combine assets to get a greater return on investment.
Malek was born in Rohtak, India. He earned a bachelors and law degrees in India before coming to Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau for a master of business administration in August of 2001.
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