A Democrat from the eastern part of Missouri is taking on a Savannah Republican for the treasurer’s seat.

Both are new fathers.

Both are 30-somethings that started their state political careers in the Missouri House of Representatives.

But they both are approaching the office differently. Sen. Brad Lager sees the office through the eyes of fiscal conservatism. Rep. Clint Zweifel, a Florissant Democrat, said he wants to run a competent office that focuses on excellence and fiscal restraint, but also sees it as an opportunity for broader leadership.

“I believe in governing from a statewide perspective,” he said.

The son of a carpenter and a hair stylist, Mr. Zweifel, 34, grew up in Florissant, Mo., and was the first person in his family to attend college.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1996 from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

In 1997, he went to work for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in St. Louis as the research and education work director. He managed retirement planning and 401K for about 10,000 members.

He earned a master’s degree of business administration from the same university in 2001.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002, when he defeated an incumbent Republican.

In 2007, he led the opposition to the student loan asset sale that funded Gov. Matt Blunt’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative, a statewide college building plan.

The initiative, which ultimately prevailed, has slotted more than $50 million for the construction of math and science centers at Missouri Western State University and Northwest Missouri State University.

Now facing a rocky credit crisis, the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority last month for the second time had to delay payments to universities.

Mr. Zweifel remains an adamant opponent of the sale. As a candidate for treasurer, he continues to call for more oversight of the MOHELA board.

“No one is suggesting we reverse the legislation that passed,” Mr. Zweifel said.

But he stressed the importance of returning MOHELA to its original mission, to provide lower-cost student loans — “not build buildings.”

He criticized Treasurer Sarah Steelman, a Republican, for not standing up against the sale.

If elected, he wants to make the state treasurer a MOHELA board member.

Mr. Zweifel’s platform that addresses MOHELA underscores differences between him and his opponent.

Mr. Lager has long backed the asset sale that is sending funds to his alma mater. He contends the loan authority now is exercising sound financial prudence in that it is trying to ride the market out before it sells its assets, but Mr. Lager doesn’t oppose additional board oversight, whether it be from the treasurer or someone else.

A St. Joseph woman who Gov. Matt Blunt appointed to the MOHELA Board of Governors this spring is open to Mr. Zweifel’s idea. Jennifer Kneib said the treasurer’s presence would help give the board an inside track to state business.

“I definitely think that would enhance our ability to make prudent financial decisions,” she said.

Mr. Zweifel said he sees the treasurer’s role with a much wider scope than Mr. Lager.

“This is an elected office, not an appointed position,” Mr. Zweifel said. “If it’s an elected position, it’s important to bring some values to the office ... Part of leadership is stepping up.”

Both candidates pledge to make improvements to MOST, the state’s 529 College Savings Plan.

Mr. Zweifel also wants to use the office’s weight to help enact Missouri Promise, a plan that would provide community college graduates with two years of paid tuition and fees to a public state four-year college in exchange for meeting community service and grade performance requirements.

In addition to college affordability issues, Mr. Zweifel has outlined a list of initiatives to boost the economy.

If elected, he wants to simplify the application process and increase participation in the state’s linked deposit program, which provides low-interest loans to certain businesses. He plans on offering families of deployed National Guard or reserves members below-market-rate loans. He also wants the state to give disabled Missourians low-interest loans to purchase equipment or construction projects that would help them become more mobile and self-reliant.

Since the state treasurer serves on the Missouri Housing Development Commission, Mr. Zweifel said he’d work to address efficiency and conflict of interest issues identified in a recent audit. He said he’d like to limit the influence of developers and would work to cap their campaign contributions to political candidates.

“I think being fiscally smart should sometimes be put way above being fiscally conservative or liberal,” Mr. Zweifel said. “That’s how I define myself — fiscally smart.”

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached at alysonraletz@npgco.com.

Correction: A photo caption with the story “Zweifel eyes efficiency” on Page B1 of Sunday’s paper contained a mistake, due to an editor’s error. Clint Zweifel is a Democrat. The News-Press apologizes for the error.