Missouri
Jay Ashcroft draws bipartisan attacks over comments about veterans benefits • Missouri Independent
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is facing criticism from Republican and Democratic rivals over comments he made at a candidate forum this weekend calling into question the fairness of special benefits for veterans.
During a panel for gubernatorial candidates at the annual Missouri Republican Party Lincoln Days in Kansas City over the weekend, Ashcroft was asked how the state can better support veterans and active duty military personnel.
Ashcroft said “we need to do what we promised them,” before acknowledging he was about to say something that “probably isn’t what you want for the answer to your question.”
“I don’t think we ought to treat people based on classifications,” he said. “I think we ought to treat everybody equally. And I don’t think we ought to say that if you live here, we’re gonna charge you this, but if you live here, we charge you this. I don’t think we ought to say if you’re in the military, we’ll give you this discount, but everybody else has to pay twice as much. I don’t think that’s good government.”
When someone is a member of the military and moves into the state, Ashcroft said, “it’s harder sometimes to get licensed and make sure you have licensing reciprocity. What I always said was, why don’t we just make that rule for everybody? Why don’t we just say that government is the problem, and let’s get government out of the way, let people make their own decisions and not keep picking and choosing winners and losers.”
He concluded: “I appreciate veterans. I have veterans in my family. I like what they’ve done. But what we ought to do is say, if it’s good for veterans, it’s good to do it for everyone.”
This answer from @JayAshcroftMO was the most discussed answer from the @MissouriGOP forum yesterday.
Jay Ashcroft comes out against military discounts for our state’s veterans. Shameful. #MOGOV pic.twitter.com/g1iUBym36a
— West STL Republican (@WestStLouisGOP) February 18, 2024
State Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican who served in the Air Force, responded to Ashcroft’s comments during the forum by saying he was “stunned to hear one of the candidates here say he’s not interested in looking into veteran’s issues or helping them out.”
He continued his criticism Wednesday, as footage of Ashcroft’s comments began to spread on social media.
“I lost friends. I saw the struggle upon returning to the states,” he said. “I disdain the ruling elite who send our men and women to die in their wars, all while doing nothing to ensure their sacrifice is honored when they return home.”
Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican from Jefferson City who also participated in the candidate forum, said Wednesday evening that for Jay Ashcroft to “treat our veterans as anything less than heroes is disrespectful to all veterans and their families. Communities across our state value our nation’s heroes and their service and sacrifice to our country, and they would want their governor to do the same.”
Democrats also piled on.
Emma O’Brien, press secretary for the Democratic Governors Association, called Ashcroft an “insider politician who only looks out for himself, but wants to rip away benefits from members of the military and veterans who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom.”
In a statement to The Independent Wednesday evening, Ashcroft did not address the criticism but said it is “shameful that we have failed to fulfill our commitment to our veterans.”
“No Americans make a greater sacrifice for our freedoms and security than the men and women who wear the uniform of our armed forces,” the statement read. “The sacrifices that they and their families make are unimaginable for those of us who have not served. I honor that service and as governor will make our commitment to them a priority, without qualification.”
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 20 drawing
Midday: 6-4-7
Midday Wild: 1
Evening: 0-2-2
Evening Wild: 2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 20 drawing
Midday: 5-1-9-1
Midday Wild: 9
Evening: 2-5-8-0
Evening Wild: 4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 20 drawing
Early Bird: 12
Morning: 10
Matinee: 09
Prime Time: 03
Night Owl: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 20 drawing
01-11-14-16-18
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 20 drawing
04-29-35-40-43, Powerball: 21
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Reinforcing the offensive line has been a priority for the New Orleans Saints, who opened free agency by signing former Buffalo Bills left guard David Edwards to a four-year, $61 million contract. Even though the franchise has allocated plenty of resources to its offensive line, the free agency addition won’t stop them from seeking more offensive line talent.
The franchise is focused on protecting second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. If a starting offensive lineman is injured, someone must step up. Currently, Asim Richards is the only reliable backup for left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. or right tackle Taliese Fuaga. On the interior, Dillon Radunz would make sense as a reliable replacement if someone were to go down between Edwards, center Erik McCoy, and right guard Cesar Ruiz.
Drafting a promising offensive lineman in 2026 makes sense, as the Saints hold five Day 3 picks. It’s unlikely general manager Mickey Loomis will spend early draft capital on a tackle, but a late pick is logical. Missouri’s Keagen Trost, projected for Day 3, could fit this need.
Trost, 25, recently worked out privately with the Saints, a source told Saints Wire. The Missouri standout earned a 92.4 Pro Football Focus grade in 13 games last season, ranking No. 1 among 632 eligible collegiate tackles. He also allowed just one sack in 834 total snaps.
Trost’s high grades project him in the fifth round, and he offers versatility, including potential to move inside. At his pro day, he measured 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds. The main issue is his 32 3/8-inch arms, which are shorter than teams prefer for starting tackles. He has extensive SEC experience and strong college production to back it up.
Picks No. 150 and 172 in the fifth round are logical choices for New Orleans to consider selecting Trost. Multiple teams have shown interest in him; he had five pre-draft visits and recently held virtual meetings with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Atlanta Falcons, according to a source. While there are many highly regarded offensive linemen in this class, Trost’s versatility appears to set him apart from the others.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 19, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 4-7-3
Midday Wild: 7
Evening: 8-8-3
Evening Wild: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 9-0-8-0
Midday Wild: 9
Evening: 1-8-4-8
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 19 drawing
Early Bird: 15
Morning: 15
Matinee: 07
Prime Time: 10
Night Owl: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 19 drawing
08-14-24-27-28
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Washington, D.C19 seconds agoUS industry leaders take sport fishing issues to Washington DC – Angling International
-
Cleveland, OH6 minutes agoRabbi Leibel Alevsky, Chabad of Northeast Ohio founder and director, dies at 86
-
Austin, TX12 minutes agoMan charged after driving 100 mph in East Austin, crashing into bus station: affidavit
-
Alabama18 minutes agoRight Solution, Wrong Method For Alabama Baseball This Season: Just a Minute
-
Alaska24 minutes agoInside Alaska’s craft beer scene
-
Arizona30 minutes ago2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals
-
Arkansas36 minutes agoTST Images: Tulsa Drillers defeat the Arkansas Travelers, 11-3, in Tulsa
-
California42 minutes agoCalifornia lawmaker introduces bill to protect wildlife from euthanasia, create coexistence program