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Langston Newsome|Columbia Daily Tribune

Glenn Nielsen had no intentions of runningfor the 45th District legislative seat in the most recent general election.

Former state Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, ran unopposed for the second consecutive time before stepping down to become the chief of staff for state Sen. Greg Lazor, D-Kansas City, in November.

Kendrick's absence left an opening in the 45th District a seat that Democrats have controlled since the latest redistricting. Nielsen, a member of the Missouri Libertarian Party for over two decades, saw this opportunity and decided to do something.

A Republican hadn't run for this legislative seat in over a decade, and the last non-Democrat to run for office was William Lee in 2016.

Lee ran as an independent and secured only 28.81% of votes.

More: Kendrick leaving Missouri House to join Senator-elect Razer as chief of staff

Nielsen believed the district's constituents deserved to have a second option in April's special election, so he joined Democrat David Tyson Smith on the April 6 ballot.

Based on the events of last year, I felt it was necessary to have more of a voice in the direction Missouri is going, Nielsen said. When I saw the opportunity, I decided it was time to give it a shot.

Nielsen credits the death of George Floyd last summer and the economic response to the pandemic for pushing him to run for office.

One issue is criminal justice reform based on all of the things that occurred over the summer since the incident with George Floyd, Nielsen said. Second is the economic impact of the actions taken to reduce the spread of COVID. ... Its only after the accumulation of events in the past year that I really decided that it was time for me to run and get my voice out there.

Nielsen served in the U.S. Navy for eight years before working as a computer programmer for the University of Missouri. He has lived in the Columbia area for 37 years. He joined the Missouri Libertarian Party in 2000 and served as the state chair from 2007-10.

More: David Tyson Smith could be Columbia's first Black state representative. He doesn't take the distinction lightly.

Nielsen was appointed to a special committee formed by then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt to provide recommendations on the Help America Vote Act in 2002 and was a vocal member of the Boone Liberty Coalition's push against the city's implementation of a smoking ban.

Nielsen will now engage in the upcoming campaign against Smith.

He will rely on his experience testifying at state legislature committee meetings as the Missouri Libertarians Chair for guidance moving forward.

I would say my life experience over time, Nielsen said about what prepared him to run for the state legislature, "as I became familiar with the principles that I feel should be used to govern, such as the non-aggression principle, choice those types of things.

Read more from the original source:
Libertarian Glenn Nielsen enters the race for the 45th District legislative seat vacated by Kip Kendrick - Columbia Daily Tribune