If elected, Hulshof says he would halt the longtime practice in which governors have picked political supporters to run the offices that handle driver's licenses and vehicle registrations.

Hulshof vows to award the offices based on competitive bids. House Democrats have proposed something similar for several years but their bills have gone nowhere.

A governor could change the state's policy on license offices without needing legislation. Gov. Matt Blunt awarded several license offices based on competitive bids.

Hulshof, the congressman for northeast and east central counties, is one of four candidates, so far, for the Republican nomination for governor. The others are State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, perennial candidate Richard Kline of Gipsy, and Scott Long of Mountain View. Attorney General Jay Nixon is the only Democratic candidate and there is no Libertarian candidate.