Bill Eigel Blasts Gov. Parson for — Gasp! — Urging Niceness

The GOP gubernatorial candidate won't be happy until we're having flamethrower battles in the streets

Nov 16, 2023 at 10:32 am

Bill Eigel wants to take a flamethrower to all that "disagree better" crap from the National Governors Association.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson recently broke bread — or at least a few barbecue-slathered ribs — with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. No big deal, right? Just two middle-aged white people in neighboring states finding common ground.

"Like any good neighbor," the Republican Parson told the camera trained on their not-so-private tête-à-tête by the National Governors Association, "we'll continue to disagree on plenty of things."

"Like barbecue, tax policy and who's the bigger Chiefs fan," said the Democrat Kelly.

"As the 2024 election cycle heats up, we hope to speak for the entire country in saying," Parson began.

Then Kelly took the baton: "We don't always have to agree, but we can learn to disagree better."

No one's even talking about compromises, just being civil. Surely no one could object to that.

Enter state Senator Bill Eigel — member of Missouri's conservative caucus, GOP candidate for governor and bombastic user of flamethrowers. As it turns out, he objects to that. Vehemently.

The Weldon Springs Republican quote-tweeted Parson to his smattering of followers on X, writing, "This why Republicans lose elections. Dems are destroying our cities, mutilating our kids, trampling our rights and defunding our police — but @GovParsonMO is worried about being nice. What a joke." Then he added, referring to Jefferson City, "JC needs a reckoning."

Now, it's safe to say that Republicans haven't been losing many elections in Missouri in the last decade — and Parson's whole career is proof of that. From the avuncular sheriff's first election to the Missouri legislature in 2004 to date, we're hard-pressed to find any election he's lost. But you do you, Bill Eigel.

Which, yes, he continued to do yesterday. The MAGA-loving Eigel also endorsed Donald Trump for president and issuing a press release trumpeting that he'd managed to do it before any of his Republican rivals (who are sensibly likely waiting to see if the former president will first be convicted of felony charges).

“I have been with President Trump since day one," Eigel said in his press release, "and I fully endorse his re-election in 2024. President Trump took on the establishment of both parties and the mainstream media while boldly advancing the America First agenda. It's time to get Trump back for four more years and end the Biden crime family's reign of terror on the American people. When I’m governor, I look forward to draining the swamp in DC and Jefferson City alongside President Trump.”

And this, Missourians, is why we can't have nice things. Or even basic niceties.

Recently, @GovLauraKelly and I sat down at @Q39KC for some Kansas City BBQ to discuss areas of common ground as well as how to #DisagreeBetter.

As the 2024 election cycle heats up, we want to show the people of Missouri and Kansas that we can disagree better. @NatlGovsAssoc pic.twitter.com/b6dU0DxruG
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) November 14, 2023

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About The Author

Sarah Fenske

Sarah Fenske is the executive editor of the RFT and its sister papers. She is the former host of St. Louis on the Air and continues to host its Legal Roundtable, as well participating as an occasional panelist on Nine PBS' Donnybrook. She lives in St. Louis.