Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon speaks to a group of local residents at the offices of the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce Saturday. Nixon is seeking to be the Democratic candidate for governor. [Click to enlarge]

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon was in town Saturday on the campaign trail. Nixon, in his fourth term as attorney general is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. Stopping at the offices of the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce Nixon spoke to a group that filled the office.

Stressing his 16 years as attorney general Nixon said he had the experience to be governor and no real competition. In his speech Nixon stressed that values he learned growing up were what compelled him to go into politics.

"My father was the mayor and my mother was president of the school board," Nixon said. "When the phone rang the mayor would look to the president of the school board and she'd look at me and I'd be the one to answer the phone. I learned that whoever it was on the other end of the line you try to help them."

That experience also prompted him to develop one if his most popular programs, the No Call list.

Nixon said small businesses were the backbone of the economy and they, not big businesses should be the beneficiaries of government policies.

"What creates jobs, the real economic engine that drives the state are it's small businesses," Nixon said. "The vast majority of jobs are created by small and expanding businesses. Now the economic tools are going to the biggest players and that isn't working."

The two highest priorities for the Nixon campaign are health care and education.

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"Health care and education aren't bumper sticker issues, they're values," Nixon said. "In 1821 when we became a state the first piece of land in each county went for public schools."

While speaking Nixon notice someone wearing and orange-colored colored shirt his campaign was selling.

"I see someone has one of my orange Nixon shirts. They're very useful shirts. They're useful for deer hunting or highway work, either one," Nixon joked.

Two other candidates joined Nixon for the visit; Carla Keogh from Butler, running for state representative of the 125th district and Chris Benjamin, running for the state senate.