Even though Thompson has not announced his candidacy, he edged Clinton in a March 23, 2007, Rasmussen Reports poll (44-43 percent) and placed third in a Republican-only poll conducted May 6 by CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll with 13 percent, trailing only Rudy Giuliani (25 percent) and John McCain (23 percent) and ahead of Mitt Romney (10 percent).

Thompson is a solid conservative who has the name recognition and charisma to win. Most importantly he is right on the issues: maintaining a strong national defense, securing our borders against illegal immigration in order to protect American sovereignty, protecting Americans’ rights to bear arms, supporting tax cuts and free trade. He has consistently voted “pro-life” and most importantly, would nominate only strict constructionists to our federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

I am pleased to join a rapidly growing number of Missourians who support Thompson for president. Among them Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and approximately half of the Republicans in the GOP-controlled Missouri State House and Senate.

I intend to support Fred Thompson for president, should he choose to run (and I believe he will announce his candidacy sometime in June) — both financially and by urging others to do so as well.