From our intrepid Jefferson County reporter Robert Kelly:

FENTON — Kenny Hulshof, the new Republican nominee for Missouri governor, kicked off his general election campaign Wednesday on the Jefferson County home turf of his Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Jay Nixon.

Hulshof greeted employees and toured the Koller-Craft Plastic Products Inc. plant off Highway 141 near Fenton.

Reminded by reporters that he was in Nixon’s home county, Hulshof at first quipped, “What a coincidence!”

But then Hulshof, who grew up in southeast Missouri and now makes his home in Columbia, said he wanted to start his campaign in traditionally Democratic Jefferson County to get a good idea of what voters there are thinking and then try to address their needs.

The plant employees voiced concerned about high taxes and a lack of good-paying jobs for their friends and family members. And Hulshof promised that if elected he would seek bi-partisan solutions.

He said he expected to roll over specific job and health-care plans for Missourians by the end of this month.

“You can’t be a hard-line political person and be successful,” Hulshof told the plant employees. “You have to reach across the aisle.”

He added, “Neither major political party has all the great ideas, so why not take the best ideas and then let’s move our state forward.”