JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 A leading candidate for secretary of state pulled the plug on his bid Monday, blaming deep divides in Missouri politics for his decision.
Senate President Caleb Rowden, a Columbia Republican, said he will forgo running in a crowded GOP primary in August and finish out his final term in the Legislature鈥檚 upper chamber.
In a statement on social media, the 41-year-old former Christian pop singer said his style of problem-solving did not fit with the divisiveness of today鈥檚 politics.
鈥淐onsensus-building was once a trait that was admired and rewarded. That no longer seems to be the case. I am not certain when these shifts started, and I am not certain when, or if, they will shift back,鈥 he wrote.
鈥淭oday I am announcing I will not be a candidate for office in 2024. I am as certain as I have ever been that this is the right decision for me and my family in this season of our lives,鈥 Rowden added.
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Rowden entered the race in November and was leading four other Republicans in fundraising with more than $400,000 spread across two campaign committees.
His closest opponent financially was Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican who has openly warred with Senate leadership as a member of the Freedom Caucus, a small faction of Republican hard-liners.
Also running is Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller; Rep. Adam Schwadron, of St. Charles; and political newcomer Valentina Gomez, of 狐狸视频.
The lone Democrat running is Rep. Barbara Phifer, of Kirkwood.
The current secretary, Republican Jay Ashcroft, is running for governor.
Rowden has served in the House and Senate for the past 12 years and presides over a Senate chamber that has been roiled by internal divisions among Republicans.
In January, Rowden stripped members of the Freedom Caucus from their committee leadership posts and their prime parking spots in the Capitol basement after they held up gubernatorial appointments in a bid to make it harder for voters to approve changes to the state constitution.
At the time, Rowden said the start of the Senate鈥檚 2024 session had been 鈥渘othing short of an embarrassment鈥 and that 鈥渁 small group of swamp creatures鈥 had overtaken the chamber.
As a lawmaker, Rowden has pushed for major projects to be built in mid-Missouri, including the replacement of the Rocheport Bridge carrying Interstate 70 over the Missouri River and funding for major infrastructure projects at the University of Missouri.
On Thursday, Rowden hailed the passage of sweeping education legislation that would result in hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending on schools every year.
Along with expanding the MOScholars plan, which provides scholarships for students to attend schools of their choice, the bill now heading to the House includes more state support for pre-kindergarten programs and higher teacher pay.