“We have a debt to those before us and an obligation to those after us. We maximize life and potential through heart, intelligence, and grit. We focus on our bond. We do all of this together because we are always stronger together. Mostest.”
– Porter Family Mission Statement
For over a decade, our family mission statement has been my guiding light. It led me to enter the race for Lieutenant Governor, driven by a commitment to honor our past and shape our future. My goal has always been to build a better community for all children—in Saint Louis, in Missouri, and beyond.
Throughout this campaign, I have emphasized that my aspiration was never to be a politician, but rather a public servant. The role of Lieutenant Governor, to me, embodied this ideal of service.
We launched our campaign with a clear mission: “Make Missouri Better.” Our team believed that my election as Lieutenant Governor was a means to achieve this end. (I acknowledge this may sound self-important, but it was our genuine conviction.) I consistently maintained that we would pursue this path only as long as it aligned with our mission and remained viable, however remote that viability might be.
In recent weeks, it has become clear that we no longer have a path to victory. Yet, our journey has not been in vain. We have brought energy to the race, broadened the Republican platform to include often-overlooked voices, and connected with people who found common ground across party lines.
While we have been rich in ideas, supporter enthusiasm, and commitment to our mission, we have faced financial hurdles that highlight the complex nature of modern political campaigns.
Now is the moment to honor the second line of our Family Mission Statement: maximizing life and potential. Continuing this campaign without a viable path forward would be like following a GPS over a bridge that no longer exists. It would not serve the best interests of our team, our supporters, or my family.
Therefore, I have made the difficult but necessary decision to suspend my campaign.
To our contributors: We are taking the unprecedented step of returning any unspent funds. This money was entrusted to me to pursue our mission of Making Missouri Better. I believe returning it is the right thing to do, allowing you to determine how best to continue this mission.
Finally, I want to express my deepest gratitude. This journey has been extraordinary, revealing the beauty of our state and the strength of its people. Thank you for your support, your trust, and for sharing this remarkable experience.