Kenny Hulshof - Biography

Biography

Hulshof was born in Sikeston, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri. Hulshof earned his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Prior to serving in Congress, Hulshof worked in the public defender's office and as a special prosecutor for the Missouri attorney general's office. As a special prosecutor, Hulshof was detailed to capital cases, a matter he has highlighted in his campaigns.

In 1992, Hulshof sought to be nominated by the Boone County Republican Committee as a replacement for Prosecuting Attorney Joe Moseley, who had won election to a legislative seat and had to resign to take his new post. Hulshof was defeated by Kevin Crane. In 1994 the Ninth District Republican Committee selected Hulshof to replace University of Missouri political science professor Rick Hardy as the GOP's candidate for Congress (Hardy withdrew shortly after winning the primary due to exhaustion). Despite a late start in the race, Hulshof captured 45% of the vote and nearly beat the incumbent, Democrat Harold Volkmer.

Hulshof immediately began preparing to challenge Volkmer again in 1996. Hulshof had to first win the Republican primary against Harry Eggleston. Hulshof won the primary by 168 out of 38,000 votes cast. During the general election, Volkmer attacked Hulshof as being a puppet of Newt Gingrich and Hulshof said that Volkmer voted twenty times to raise taxes in twenty years. Hulshof won the election by a 49%-47% margin, and was easily re-elected in subsequent elections until 2008, when he did not run for re-election. Hulshof made known his desire to run for Governor of Missouri in 2004, but in the end withdrew in favor of then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt, who won.

Hulshof's voting record in the House was fairly conservative; among other issues, he has voted against abortion and same-sex marriage, while supporting the death penalty and the Patriot Act.

Hulshof is Roman Catholic, and is active in the St. Thomas More Newman Center on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Missouri.

In 2005, Hulshof joined the all-Congressional band the Second Amendments, to play for U.S. troops stationed overseas during the period between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Hulshof played the drums.

There had been rumors in Washington and back in Hulshof's district in Missouri that he might leave Congress to become the University of Missouri president. Hulshof ended up confirming the rumors after his candidacy became common knowledge. However, the University of Missouri Board of Curators ended up voting to offer the position to another University of Missouri graduate, who ultimately turned down the offer. The Board selected Gary D. Forsee for the President of the University of Missouri System in 2008.

With the news that former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt would not be seeking re-election in 2008, Hulshof announced on January 29 that he would run for Governor. Hulshof defeated State Treasurer Sarah Steelman in the Missouri Republican Gubernatorial primary, held on August 5, 2008, winning with a margin of 49% to 45%, with Scott Long receiving 5% and Jen Seivers 1%. Hulshof was defeated by four term Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, the Democratic Nominee, in the General Election held on November 4, 2008.

Hulshof now works for the law firm Polsinelli Shughart.