U.S. Senate Candidate Brunner Racks up Endorsements in Joplin

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Republican U.S. Senate hopeful John Brunner received endorsements Wednesday from two powerful state lawmakers from the Joplin area.

State Sen. Ron Richard and State Rep. Tom Flannigan announced their support for Brunner in his contested primary against U.S. Rep. Todd Akin and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman.

"I'm intimately involved in promoting small business growth in Joplin and I know the devastating effects of Obama and McCaskill's burdensome regulations and tax hikes," Richard said. "I am glad to endorse John Brunner and look forward to working with him when he is elected Missouri's next citizen-Senator."

Brunner said the two lawmakers "best understand how the Obama-McCaskill policies are destroying growth and killing our economy."

The endorsement is another in a series of endorsements from state lawmakers the Brunner campaign has announced. Earlier this year, nearly half of the Republican caucus in the legislature announced their support for Steelman, Brunner's rival.