By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis – Gene McNary says creating jobs would be his top priority if he's elected St. Louis County executive.
McNary announced his candidacy Thursday, and joins three other Republicans seeking the nomination.
McNary has held the job before, serving as county executive from 1974 to 1989.
He says while manufacturing and service jobs would be his main focus, he will also look at the proposed South County casino plan.
"If our people are going to gamble, St. Louis County people, and they're going to go over to Illinois or they're going to go someplace else, maybe there's a case to be made for a casino right here so they don't have to leave our county and we get the economic benefits," McNary said.
McNary is the longest-serving chief executive in St. Louis County history.