Today, from Senator Brian Nieves (r), via Facebook:

Brian Nieves

6 hours ago

To my friend Tim Jones,

This is what I want people to know about my decision, our friendship, and what I hope for your future! Please feel free to make copies of this and hand them out….

Dear Friends of the 26th,

First of all let me thank you for always supporting “The Right Side of the Republican Party” in Franklin and Western St. Louis Counties! Secondly I’d like to thank you for having always offered such heart felt support and grass roots effort to move our objectives forward and position my campaigns to win.

For some time now I’ve been contemplating whether or not to seek reelection to the Missouri Senate. As you can imagine, I’ve invested many hours praying, talking to Julie, and discussing it with my kids. This decision has proven to be the most difficult one I’ve ever had to make and I pray each of you will support me moving forward in much the same way you have in the past.

Some of you were with us twelve years ago when we formed a coalition of Conservatives who believed, against all odds, that we could get a guy like me, a relatively unknown Navy Veteran and business owner, elected to the Missouri House. We were the laughing stock of the political scene and NONE of the political establishment thought we had a chance! How exhilarating it was, and continues to be, to be a part of something so exciting! As you know, we WON! We not only won, we won BIG! Our Team of Conservatives helped usher in a real change to the political atmosphere. When we decided to tackle a senate run, the “establishment” once again said we’d never win but WE did! These have been, by far, the most exciting twelve years of my life and I thank you for allowing me to be a part of this conservative ground swell. It is people like YOU who inspire me to Fight Fiercely and never give up. Because of people like you, and the way you inspire me, I assure you I’ll never leave the fight! I may fight from a different place or in a different way but I’ll never leave the fight.

While these twelve years have been a Blessing as well as exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling, they’ve also been very taxing on my family. My three children are Champions and have figured out how to make it without Dad being around for the majority of their last twelve school years. They’ve endured me missing recitals, ball games, concerts, and teacher conferences. My family is 100% behind me in whatever decision I make and I love them for that. We, as a family, feel it may very well be time for me to find a way to fight the battle in a way that doesn’t require my wife to be sort of like a “single Mom” for five months out of the year, and doesn’t require my kids to automatically know that Dad just isn’t gonna be able to make that special event that occurs between January and June of each year. Maybe it’s time for me to serve in a different capacity. I’m proud to have dedicated twenty two years of my life to serving – Ten years active duty Navy and twelve years in our legislature! I can’t see myself ever terminating my service and dedication to our Constitutions but it may be time for me to do it in a different way. Perhaps in the private sector through my Leadership Development Business and/or in some local public office, but one thing is sure… I will remain “In Service!” Just closer to home!

History… Twelve years ago I began a personal friendship with Tim Jones. We instantly hit it off in terms of political opinion, comedy, talk radio and many other things that two guys base a friendship on. We have enjoyed a friendship that, unlike most relationships connected by politics, has gotten stronger and more principally meaningful over the years. I typically become LESS interested in friendships involving people in politics as I get to know them. Tim is an exception because time has caused me to have an even higher regard for him! Tim, like anybody else who knows me well, has heard me say a million times that I don’t want to be in Jeff City forever and was one of the first people to have heard me say “I’m thinking about getting out.” I don’t remember how long ago or how many times he heard me say that but it was long ago and many! He was, of course, a natural choice, as a friend, for me to reach out to when I started to realize the timing may not be good for me to seek reelection and he was, as he is today, gentleman enough to assure me he would NEVER run against me and would support which ever decision I would ultimately make.

Some time ago there began to be whisper campaigns and rumors started by political operatives and perhaps the same old “establishment” that has always fought me. They noticed I wasn’t raising money or campaigning and started rumors that would suggest I was about to be given a lucrative political appointment by our democrat governor! They whispered that I would run for reelection, win, and then drop out allowing the central committee to pick my replacement. They told people I was going to become a lobbyist and on and on and on, just like they always have! These rumors and whisper campaigns were all FALSE! They tried to find someone to run against me and unfortunately we now see that someone has! We may never know what role, if any, these political hacks played in the decision made by a local representative to run against me and I pray it was not that same old “committee of they” who caused this challenge to my incumbency. What I do know is this… Tim Jones, a True Blue Conservative, a man with whom I have been friends for twelve years, has been a complete and total gentleman and has shown extreme deference to whatever decision I make while also showing my family the kind of respect we can admire! Tim Jones has made it perfectly clear, both personally and publicly that he will NOT run if I seek reelection and I appreciate that more than I can explain. Tim knows, as do others, that I’ve been at a huge fork in the road and that my desire to be closer to home and fight the fight for liberty in a new way may very well cause me to leave the senate. His understanding and willingness to support my decision and patiently await that decision is appreciated.

I will announce my final decision before our scheduled Franklin County Lincoln Days. When I was asked by my current primary opponent about when I would decide, I promised it would be well in advance of the close of filing so that he or anybody else would have the opportunity to file in the 26th. Unfortunately we now know that allowing me to decide was not in the cards and he filed to run against me! We now find ourselves answering questions like “why would somebody file AGAINST our well known, conservative senator?” So, I now have to watch my wife and kids get the kind of controversial, unwanted attention they did NOT sign up for and would have easily been avoided if everyone in politics simply would have offered my family the kind of respect shown by my friend Tim Jones.

Prior to Lincoln Days I will make my announcement but please know this…. If I take my name off the ballot I will give my FULL, Un-throttled support to the man that has treated me and my family with honor and respect – a man who is a True Blue Conservative and Activist, a man who has been a great friend, a man who did NOT support an 8 Billion Dollar Road Tax Hike, the largest tax increase in our state’s history, like my current opponent did, a man who has not been the chief sponsor of legislation requiring you to be treated like a criminal when buying Sudafed as my current opponent has, a man who’s voting record is extremely reflective of my own. A man who joined me regularly on my ultra conservative radio show, The Patriot Enclave, during the years I hosted it. A man who demonstrated to the world, back in 1994, long before starting in politics, where he stands on State Sovereignty by submitting a thesis on Printz v. United States. A man who served at the tip of the spear in the fight against Obama Care when he became, with me, a member of the legislative foursome who became affectionately known as “The Healthcare Freedom Act Quartet” and championed the first anti Obama care legislation enacted in the country! A man who’s long time, well established, conservative credentials make him the obvious choice, and a man who I hope to one day call governor but for now will just call him Tim Jones!

Please pray for me and especially my family as we finalize a difficult and weighty announcement. After twenty two years of service and the corresponding sacrifices made by my family, it’s time for me to put family at the top of the pecking order. I’m less than a week from announcing my FINAL decision and when I do…. Well, I just hope you’ll allow Tim Jones to become your next senator!

Sincerely,

-Brian

Isn’t this the plot of a Wagnerian opera cycle? Just asking.

Seriously, pass the popcorn.

Previously:

26th Senate District: As if there’s any difference? (February 26, 2014)

Campaign Finance: a really serious commitment (March 2, 2014)

Campaign Finance: laughing all the way to the bank (March 3, 2014)