Another statewide republican politician in Missouri, in a long line of examples, who continually trips on his own shoelaces.

Missouri Secretary of State
[October 24, 2026]

A theme throughout President Harry S Truman’s 1948 Whistle-stop campaign, Missouri’s favorite son emphasized that the power of the US government rests with the people.

The November 3 general election is just ten days away—make your voice heard!

[….]

On the importance of voting

When you vote, you are in control of your government.
– Harry S Truman –

Denny Hoskins

Some of the responses:

You keep his name out of your mouth.

There is considerable irony in Secretary of State Denny Hoskins invoking Harry Truman’s words: “When you vote, you are in control of your Government.”
Truman meant considerably more than simply encouraging people to show up on Election Day.
In those 1948 remarks, Truman said, “I trust the people, because when they know the facts, they do the right thing.” He said the American people themselves should decide what kind of government they wanted. Throughout that whistle-stop campaign, he repeatedly returned to the same principle: ordinary citizens exercise control over their government through the ballot box.
That fuller context matters.
Because when more than 300,000 petition signatures were submitted asking that Missouri voters be allowed to decide whether to accept the legislature’s mid-decade congressional redistricting, Hoskins attempted to keep that question from the ballot. The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously concluded that he was wrong.
The Court found the petition legal, sufficient and timely and pointed to the plain language of the Missouri Constitution, which reserves to the people the power to approve or reject “any act of the general assembly” through referendum, subject to specified exceptions. The Court ordered Hoskins to certify the petition and put the question before Missouri voters.
There is a similar contradiction with Amendment 6, which concerns protecting Missouri’s initiative and referendum powers and limiting the legislature’s ability to undo decisions voters make through those processes. Hoskins initially refused to certify that measure as well before ultimately certifying it pursuant to the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision.
So quoting Truman here deserves some scrutiny.
You cannot invoke an American icon’s words about citizens controlling their government while leaving out the principle underlying those words. Truman’s message was not that voters should have a voice only when government officials are comfortable with the question being decided. His repeated message was that political power ultimately belongs to the people and that voting is how they exercise it.
No one can know exactly what Harry Truman would say about a Missouri political controversy nearly 80 years later.
But we do know what Truman actually said.
“I trust the people.”
“When you vote, you are in control of your Government.”
Those principles are difficult to square with fighting to prevent Missouri citizens from voting on a referendum after they had satisfied the signature requirements, particularly when Missouri’s highest court ultimately ruled unanimously that the Constitution gave them precisely that right.
Harry Truman’s legacy belongs to history, not to any current officeholder. If you are going to borrow the credibility of his words, you should be prepared to live by the democratic principle behind them.
Otherwise, quoting Truman becomes less a tribute to his principles and more an exercise in political convenience.

Oh I will, bud. I sure will. You and your red blazer can bank on it!

So you’re yes on 6?

This is why I’m voting Yes on 6, because we are in charge of our government and the folks elected to represent us need to be reminded of that.

Except when Hoskins, Kehoe, or Hannaway disagree with how you vote… 😒

Please don’t invoke Truman. You, sir, are no Truman!

Unless you elect people who will not listen to the will of voters…Yes on 6!! Because actions have consequences

Glad you agree Denny. Yes On 6

Yes on 6! The rest are tricks!

This is rich coming from you. 🤡

Rich, coming from you!

Unless you live in Missouri. Missourians make their voices heard, place amendments. Then the legislature wants to tell us we don’t know what we want.
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

And then the Missouri GOP tries to interfere in your vote

Yes on 6 to maintain your power.

Yes on 6.

The irony of Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins posting this cannot be understated. Here’s a statement that Harry Truman delivered at one of those whistle stops so many years ago:
“When the Republican candidate inscribes the slogan ‘Down With Socialism’ on the banner of his ‘great crusade,’ that is really not what he means at all.”
“What he really means is ‘Down with Progress–down with Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal,’ and ‘down with Harry Truman’s fair Deal.’ That’s all he means.”
[….]

You were on my mind when I voted this morning 😊😊

President Truman would say Hoskins is a disgrace to his office and the great State of Missouri! I will VOTE YES on Amendment 6 and NO on Prop A, the gerrymandered voting map! Missouri’s right to petition has been part of our Constitution since 1908. The same Constitutional right Hoskins, Kehoe and Hanaway thought they could overrule and both Supreme Courts ruled against them. We won’t let any of them forget this!
[….]

So much irony with this one. Vote yes on 6.

Pahhlease!

Interesting that you didn’t feel this way about the new maps! Aye on 6!

We need to get rid of the corrupt party Hoskins belongs to, but they will find a way to cheat & rig this election (already starting in Alaska). We need to overwhelm this fascist gop regime, take control and insert sweeping reform to ensure such incredible corruption never takes place again. You’re part of the problem Denny Hoskins, you’re a fascist traitor who serves one man, not the people. History will not be kind to your ilk.
[….]

Wow, your hypocrisy is effing stunning.

Truman’s rolling over in his grave every time you say his name

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, How dare you.

I will Vote NO on 3, 7, 8 and Prop A.

Then how come we have to keep voting down the abortion ban, over and over? You DO NOT allow Missouri citizens to control the government they fund.

Does MO still elect any non-slimeballs, or is it pretty much just guys like you?

I vote in every election because Missouri Republicans in 2026 are still making laws about womens’ bodies and cheating to silence our petitions, votes and voices.
[….]

We are voting Denny. And don’t worry we will be voting out your precious map

Get his name out of your mouth and off your meme.

You are a horrible slimey disgusting American traitor.

That’s rich coming for you.

Not in Missouri.

That explains why you try so hard to overturn our votes.

God you’re a hypocrite

Now that’s a ratio.

Obama wore a tan suit once.

Previously:

HB 1: Gerrymander this (September 9, 2025)

Can play with AI, can’t be bothered to certify petition signatures (June 7, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) is a pre-eminent legal scholar and final arbiter of the Missouri Constitution, said no one ever… (August 4, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Favorite whine (September 3, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) thinks we’re all ignorant and stupid (September 3, 2026)

What the Missouri Supreme Court said (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court slaps down Denny Hoskins (r)….again (September 4, 2026)

Tears in the rain (September 4, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r): “…unclean hands…” (September 7, 2026)

Justice Brett Kavanaugh – SCOTUS: “Yeah, no.” (September 8, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court order to Denny Hoskins (r): “…show cause…” (September 9, 2026)

Missed it by that much (September 9, 2026)

Salus populi suprema lex esto (September 10, 2026)

Stupid is as stupid does (September 10, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (September 10, 2026)

So sad (September 10, 2026)

Judicial contempt has a way of making one focus (September 11, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and friends whiff at the U.S. Supreme Court (September 25, 2026)

A paragraph for Missouri history (September 25, 2026)

Being obtusely wrong still makes you wrong, Denny (September 26, 2026)

Denny’s Dirty Ball (September 28, 2026)

What color is the sky in Denny’s (r) world? (0ctober 3, 2026)

We Get Mail – “NO” on Proposition A (October 5, 2026)

Campaign Finance: “NO” on Proposition A (October 10, 2026)

Campaign Finance: “NO” on Proposition A – with emphasis (October 15, 2026)

Campaign Finance: there’s still work to be done (October 22, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r): keep stepping on that Fascist rake (October 23, 2026)