By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – All three major gubernatorial candidates in Missouri filed to run on the first day candidates could do so.
Democrat Jay Nixon and Republicans Kenny Hulshof and Sarah Steelman all waited until Tuesday afternoon to file their paperwork.
Nixon, the front runner in the most recent Rasmussen poll, told reporters that both G.O.P. contenders have embraced Governor Matt Blunt's policies.
"They both have said that they thought the health care cuts were right," Nixon said. "They both have supported selling away the [Missouri] Higher Education Loan Authority, which is making college less affordable for Missouri kids."
In comments made to reporters after filing, Steelman seemed to distance herself from Blunt's health care record.
"He had hard choices to make on Medicaid. I wouldn't have done it like he did it, and I'm not going to govern like he did, so I want to be sure and take a good hard look at those programs and make sure that they are working the right way," Steelman said.
Before he filed, Hulshof briefly commented to the media and to supporters of the need to provide access to health care, but he made no mention of Blunt's policies.