State Candidate Visits Union Missourian Office

State Sen. Scott Rupp, a Republican running for the secretary of state seat, recently visited the Union Missourian to discuss his platform.

Rupp, of Wentzville, represents Lincoln County and portions of St. Charles County. He was elected to the Missouri Senate in a special election in April 2006. Rupp was re-elected in November 2006 to serve his first full term.

Prior to that he had served in the Missouri House of Representatives for four years.

Rupp told The Missourian that he is “very pro-life” and touted his role as a conservative in the Senate.

“We have gotten results on issues that most Missourians care about,” he said.

Rupp is seeking the seat of Secretary of State Robin Carnahan who is not seeking re-election.

A goal he has, if elected, is to make people accountable for creating initiative petitions.

“There must be more transparency in initiative petitions,” he said.

Rupp further added that ballot language should be easily understood and without “emotional language.”

The senator’s platform includes creating new jobs.

He explained that by changing regulations, companies could locate in Missouri instead of other states.

“The regulatory climate is very hostile,” he said. We need to protect investments but not chase people out of the state.”

Rupp and his brother, Gregory Rupp, founded a college preparatory company, Educational Funding & Financial Aid Specialists, in which they assisted parents of high school students in preparing their children for college.

Rupp said he also founded the investment firm Rupp & Associates. He started a mortgage brokerage called Educational Financing Company, which specialized in loans for parents of college-bound students.

Upon his election to the Missouri Senate, he sold his businesses and took a position with UMB Bank in O’Fallon, where he is currently vice president of business development, specializing in commercial lending.