Friend of Labor Nicole Galloway officially running for governor

By SHERI GASSAWAY
Correspondent

Jefferson City – Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway has officially announced her bid for governor in the 2020 general election.

Galloway, 37, of Columbia, is a friend of Labor, and the only Democrat serving in a statewide elected office. As Missouri’s independent taxpayer watchdog, Galloway said her office has uncovered $350 million in waste and fraud leading to 40 criminal charges against 18 individuals.

Galloway filed campaign finance paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission on Aug. 9 and released a two-minute video officially announcing her campaign on Monday, Aug. 12.

Galloway will likely face Republican Gov. Mike Parson, of Bolivar, the former lieutenant governor who was appointed governor in June 2018 following the resignation of disgraced Republican Gov. Eric Greitens, who was facing potential impeachment proceedings over allegations of sexual and political misconduct.

In her video announcement, Galloway accused Parson of doing the bidding of corporations and lobbyists.

“It’s a broken system, the old way of doing politics,” Galloway said of Jefferson City. “As auditor I fought it. As governor I’ll end it.”

A certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner, Galloway, was appointed as State Auditor of Missouri by Governor Jay Nixon in 2015, following the death of Tom Schweich and won election, with the endorsement of Labor, to a four-year term in 2018.

Galloway comes from a union family. Her great grandfather worked on the Gateway Arch as a member of Operating Engineers Local 513, and she has numerous uncles, cousins and other family members who are also members of Local 513.

She was honored last year with a Leadership Award from the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, served as keynote speaker at the 2018 St. Charles County Democratic Central Committee’s First Capitol Day Banquet and spoke at last year’s Democratic Truman Dinner fundraiser.