Missouri’s new governor is asking residents for their continued prayers and support, saying there is a lot of work that needs to be done.
GOP Governor Mike Kehoe of Jefferson City delivered a ten-minute inauguration address on Monday on the Missouri Capitol steps in Jefferson City:
“The world around us has grown more divided and more cynical. For far too many people, hard work has been replaced by handouts. The power of prayer is mocked. The contest of ideas is no longer a matter of right versus wrong, but of good versus evil. Political opponents cast each other as traitors and criminals,” Governor Kehoe says.
Governor Kehoe tells the audience that he rejects that, saying he believes Democrats and Republicans can work together without sacrificing core beliefs. He also talked about growing up with his single mother Lorraine, who has passed away. He had five brothers and sisters. Governor Kehoe describes his mother as a caring, loving person, adding that he used her bible to take the oath of office from former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri).
Public safety is a top priority for the new governor, who emphasized it during Monday’s inaugural address. Governor Kehoe tells the audience that securing Missouri’s future begins with public safety:
“In the coming weeks, months, and years, my administration will be relentless in our efforts to make Missouri a place where it’s easier to be a cop than a criminal,” says Governor Kehoe.
Kehoe says too many Missourians don’t feel safe and that because of that, they cannot be productive. The governor immediately signed six executive orders in his office after the ceremony, involving public safety. One is “Operation Relentless Pursuit” which would designate full-time Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) investigators in each of the nine troop regions. Another executive order launches the Blue Shield program, which Governor Kehoe says recognizes local governments for their dedication to effective law enforcement and community safety.
Monday’s inauguration went smoothly, with tight security and a very visible law enforcement presence. The biggest challenge for attendees was the subfreezing temperatures and recent ice and snow, which impacted your feet. A number of attendees used a heated tent to warm up during the ceremony. The tent had three heaters.
