SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- State Sen. Bob Dixon is joining four other announced Republican candidates vying for Missouri governor in 2016, touting his Christian faith and conservative views during a Monday announcement on the front porch of his Springfield home.
"Healthy families and a vibrant economy with good jobs are two forces of renewal in our society," Dixon said in a statement ahead of the announcement. "Let's get government out of the way and do all we can to encourage them."
Dixon, 46, said he hoped to bring "sensible conservative solutions to Missouri families."
He was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and served in the House for eight years before that. Much of his work in the Legislature has centered on crime policy, and he chairs the Senate's criminal justice committee. He worked in banking and finance before his election to the Legislature.
Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is barred from seeking re-election because of term limits. Attorney General Chris Koster is the sole Democrat looking to replace him.
To challenge Koster, Dixon first needs to push past a growing field of Republican candidates.
Former Missouri House Speaker and U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, fellow state Sen. Mike Parson and former state Rep. Randy Asbury all are fighting for the GOP nomination. Two others -- former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens and suburban St. Louis businessman John Brunner -- are expected to announce soon.
Dixon, who voted in favor of a right-to-work measure vetoed by Nixon this year and supported a required 72-hour waiting period for women to receive an abortion after seeing a physician, is highlighting his conservative beliefs. He said he supports "traditional marriage," is against abortion and backs gun rights. He also touted local control of education and said he's focused on improving the economy.
Dixon has less than $74,000 to spend on a campaign for governor as of the most recent finance reports covering the past three months ending June 30.
By contrast, Koster has nearly $4 million.
Dixon also is behind those who appear to be the GOP's top contenders in terms of cash on hand: Hanaway, who has roughly $1.5 million, and Greitens, with $1.1 million in the bank.
Dixon only raised about $1,200 in the past three months. He recently spent $18,900 on research and analysis and another $8,500 on an announcement video.