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KIRKSVILLE -- A candidate running for U.S. Senate makes his first stop in The Heartland.

Republican Congressman Todd Akin of St. Louis held a news conference in Kirksville Friday afternoon as part of a three day trip across The Show Me State to introduce himself. Akin has worked in The House for the last ten years. He announced Tuesday he’ll seek the GOP nomination next year to challenge incumbent Democratic Senator Clair McCaskill.

One of the things Akin wants to work on is to bring more structure and unity to a dysfunctional House and Senate.

“The House is not and The Senate is not doing the functions that they should do to oversee the administration.” Said Akin. “So the administration is becoming increasingly and running loose and The House and The Senate are not really raiding it in the way they should because the structure of the government is a mess.”

 Akin also wants people to get to know him better especially in places outside his district in cities such as Kansas City and Joplin.

 “So certainly, a part of our plan is try to get to those areas and introduce ourselves to people. It's been a very warm reception so far, it really has. And if I really think about my background and what the beliefs and interests of people are in that part of the state. It's just a natural fit for us.”

 If elected for the seat, Akin is planning to do the opposite of what Senator McCaskill has done when it comes to issues like healthcare and federal spending.

 “We don't want the federal government running our healthcare. She this year has voted for it. I have not only voted against it. I have been strenuously campaigning all over the country telling people, ‘You don't want this thing.’ So I'm going to bring repeal as oppose to force it down your throat. On that particular note, that's kind of a big deal, all of our healthcare for the whole country.”

 Other issues Akin wants to work on include lowering taxes and smaller government. Former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman is also running for the GOP nomination.