For years, the Missouri Senate has been ground zero for some of the fiercest battles – often driven by personal animosity between legislators.

For state Rep. Bill Hardwick, being able to bring consensus to difficult policy fights is a big reason why he says Republican voters in Missouri’s 16th Senate District should choose him on Aug. 4.

“I can just really drill down and analyze these subjects in detail, really complex, really abstract problems,” Hardwick said on the “Politically Speaking” podcast. “I can deal with people, help them solve problems, and try to apply these ethereal concepts to real people's lives. That's my kind of draw to politics.”