Greitens discusses political past, present, future as he enters U.S. Senate race

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Missouri’s former Governor says he’s counting on the support of voters in southeast Missouri as he re-enters politics in the race for U.S. Senate.

We talked to Eric Greitens on Thursday afternoon, April 1 about the race, his political past and plans for the future.

“I’m glad that the truth is out now,” he said. “And moving forward, I’m happy to stand side-by-side with anyone who is willing to work to defend the people of Missouri.”

Eric Greitens wanted to talk about his political present and future as he seeks his party’s nomination for Senate in 2022.

“I think when you look at what Joe Biden’s done at the border. When you look at the left’s campaign against the police. This tremendous defund the police movement which has led to rising violence. When you look at the actions they’ve taken to kill small businesses. The actions they have taken that are hurting American workers. All of these things suggest to us, prove to us, the country is really in crisis right now,” he said.

However, Greitens’ entrance into the race brought some national headlines that used the words “scandal” and “disgraced.”

“I have always found that if I focus on what we have to do for the people of Missouri, they can see through a nasty headline,” he said.

When asked what he would say when the past comes up, how he would respond in a GOP primary debate or to a voter on the street wondering if they should support him again, Greitens said the facts are out there.

“I’d tell you exactly what I’m saying now. For anyone who wants to know, the facts are out there. You’ve covered them. The facts are out there,” he said. “We’ve been exonerated. The leftist attack has been exposed for the criminal attack that it was.“

Greitens calls himself the America First candidate supporting the agenda of former President Donald Trump. He said he’d be honored if Mr. Trump endorsed him.

“Well Kathy, as you know, I have been a big supporter of President Trump and a big defender of his America First agenda. I would be honored absolutely to have an endorsement from the President. But I have tremendous respect for his team. And for the President. And for the confidentiality of that process that they’re going through. But I would absolutely be honored to have the President’s endorsement,” he said.

What about Missouri’s junior Senator? Josh Hawley called for Greitens to resign when he served as attorney general.

We asked Greitens if the two can work together if he’s elected.

“I’m a frontline, mission-oriented leader,” Greitens responded. “Whether it was missions as a Navy Seal, whether it was working with my fellow veterans after I came home after we were hit by a suicide truck bomb. I have always found ways to bring people together and focus on a mission. And I think the mission here is pretty clear and that’s to continue President Trump’s agenda because those policies worked. They worked for the people of southeast Missouri. They worked for Americans. So, I am 100 percent mission focused and that’s how I’m going to remain. For me, any past kind of petty political differences, you need to put them aside because I think that the country is really in crisis right now, Kathy. And I think the people of southeast Missouri need to see and they want to see their leaders come together and fight for them. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

We asked Greitens if he deserved a second chance, if he owed Missouri voters any kind of apology.

Both times, he answered by saying running for office means focusing on the present and the future. And it’s clear he’s counting on the support he received as governor to repeat itself as he re-enters the political fray.

“We have had tremendous support from people around the state, but especially around southeast Missouri, who are really excited about this race,” he said.

Greitens said he will absolutely support his party’s nominee for the Senate seat vacated by the retiring Roy Blunt, but also added he’s confident he will be that nominee.

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