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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Secretary of State Candidate Jason Kander made his way to Kirksville Monday night as part of his growing Missouri business tour.

Kander is making his way across Missouri to talk to small business owners about how he will create a better business environment in Missouri if he is elected as Secretary of State.

“The Secretary of State office has the business services division,” Kander said. “It’s where (people who) are starting a business have to file their paperwork, and the division has been doing a very good job over the last few years of making that process easier and less expensive.”

Kander said now there is a great opportunity to take the state of Missouri to the next level by making sure people who are starting a business get connected with organizations in their communities, non profits and innovation centers that can help them be successful and create more jobs.

He said the state could do this without any additional cost to tax payers.

“In general, the difference between (me) and my opponent is I have committed to taking a nonpartisan approach to the Secretary of State office,” Kander said. “That’s been my background as an army officer in Afghanistan (and) fighting for the legislature reform in Jefferson City. It’s…really not a problem for me to take on my party to do the right thing. I just believe that the Secretary of State office is a job where it’s important you take a nonpartisan approach. And, there’s really no democratic or republican way to make sure businesses grow in the state of Missouri.”

Kander said he is a big believer in the idea that we can help entrepreneurs be more successful and create jobs in Missouri if we focus on connecting them with organizations in their own communities.

Click HERE for a link to Jason Kander’s website.