JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington, has withdrawn his paperwork to seek reelection, clearing the avenue for House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, to enter the race.
Nieves, who currently represents the 26th Senatorial District, indicated over the weekend that he would not seek reelection and asked his supporters to back Jones if he were to enter the race. On Thursday, heading home for legislative spring break, Nieves stopped by the Secretary of State’s office to officially withdraw his name from the race.
Jones said on Thursday that he met with Nieves who, he said, “encouraged me to talk to my supporters about whether or not that’s an opportunity I’ll pursue.”
In an interview, Jones said he would be discussing it with advisors and his family over the break.
“I have to speak with my family first, my supporters and my advisors and decide what’s best for my future,” he said. “I’m termed out this year, so I have to figure out if I want to continue to look at the opportunities that are available for me.”
While Nieves has requested his supporters back Jones, a handful of his former aides have already lined up behind Rep. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, who filed to run for the seat earlier this month. Schatz has hired Nieves’ former campaign manager Robbie Brouk, as well as Nieves’ friend former Sen. Jim Lembke.
On Wednesday, Schatz said he would fill out his entire term in the state Senate, a not so subtle jab at Jones, who has indicated his interest in running statewide in 2016 – an election that would come in the middle of his term in the Senate.
“This seat is too important to be left without an elected member of the Senate as we saw earlier this year,” he said. “That is why I pledge to the people to serve out my whole term in the Senate and I would encourage voters to hold any candidate for this office accountable to a full term pledge.”
Jones, in the interview, would not make the same pledge.
“I would be elected to serve in the Senate. My intention is to serve four years in the Senate,” he said.
Schatz is well on the way to having nearly $1 million on hand by the end of the quarter, inching closer and closer to the amount in Jones’s campaign coffers. Despite his public positioning, it is not clear whether Jones will ultimately pull the trigger on a campaign. It could require significant spending that could weaken his campaign ahead of a potential statewide bid, where he would likely face a primary.