More Democrats have filed to run for the Missouri Legislature in 2018 than have in over a decade

Is a Blue Wave coming to Missouri?

By TIM ROWDEN

Editor

At the close of candidate filing on March 27, the Missouri Democratic Party had candidates running in 17 State Senate districts. That’s a 112 percent increase from 2014, the last time the same senate seats were up, and marks the first time Democrats have competed in 100 percent of state senate districts since 2004.

Democrats also have candidates in 145 State House districts. That’s a 49 percent increase from the 2016 cycle, and is the highest number of districts Democrats have competed in since 2006.

In 2016, Missouri Democrats only had candidates for 97 State House seats and 13 State Senate seats.

“Missourians are fed up with the status quo in Jefferson City, which is why Democrats from every part of the state are stepping up to run to change Missouri for the better,” said Stephen Webber, Missouri Democratic Party Chair. “While the Republican establishment continues to prioritize their billionaire donors over working families, Democrats will be out knocking doors with a positive vision of change.”

LOCAL CANDIDATES

Some of the candidates visited last month’s meeting of St. Louis Labor Council delegates at IBEW Local 1 hall, including:

• Representative Doug Beck (D-Affton).

• Representative Mike Revis (D-Fenton).

• Representative Joe Adams (D-University City), who is running to replace Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal.

• Karen Settlemoir-Berg, union representative for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655, who is hoping to unseat Republican Dan Shaul in the 113 House district in northeast Jefferson County.

• Erica Hoffman, a former teacher in the Fox C-6 School District, running for state representative in the 96^th District, which includes portions of Fenton, Sunset Hills and Sappington.

TOP PRIORITY

Recruiting and training candidates across Missouri has been a top priority for Webber and the Missouri Democratic Party team since they began their tenure in January 2017, on the heels of the Republican tidal wave in 2016 that handed the governor’s mansion, majorities in the state House and Senate and all but one statewide elected office to the GOP.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway of Columbia, the only statewide Democratic office holder, is unopposed for the party’s nomination, seeking to win a four-year term after being appointed in 2015. Republicans have a four-way primary for the nomination to oppose Galloway in the fall.

Democrats also have candidates running in all eight of Missouri’s Congressional Districts and have fielded candidates in all 10 legislative special elections called this year.