Republican candidates for three state congressional races talked Second Amendment rights, education funding and downtown parking during an election forum Wednesday night.
Contenders for House Districts 59 and 60 and Senate District 6 appeared at the Missouri Soybean Association for a campaign forum hosted by the News Tribune and the California Democrat that was sponsored by the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce.
With the Aug. 4 primary election less than two weeks away, candidates in contested races used the opportunity to appeal to a packed audience and online viewers, sharing their perspectives on some of the most pressing issues for Missourians today.
The full recording of the forum can be viewed on the News Tribune's YouTube page.
Each of the three portions of the forum started with a question on abortion rights. Although it is not on the ballot in August, Missourians are asked to vote in November on Amendment 3, which would repeal the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative. This would outlaw abortions outside of specific circumstances like rape, incest or medical emergencies.
The Republican candidates largely expressed support for the amendment, and most described themselves as "100 percent pro-life." Vic Rackers, a candidate for District 59, said he strongly opposed the initiative when it first passed.
"I believe every unborn baby should be nourished and protected. I would encourage everyone to support (Amendment 3) and cherish human life," he said.
Becky Kroll, a Democrat running for District 59, also attended the forum but was unable to participate since she is running unopposed. Kroll said a greater emphasis in the state needs to be placed on women's access to health care and safe pregnancies, which would greatly reduce the need for abortions.
"If pregnancies were 100 percent perfect, we would have no need for Amendment 3 at all, on either side," she said. "But there is a gray line when it comes to pregnancy and women's health care, and in our state, not only do we have child care deserts, but we also have rural health care deserts."
Some lawmakers tried again this year to reinstate the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), which would prohibit certain federal gun laws from being enforced in Missouri. The law was struck down as unconstitutional by a U.S. district judge in 2023.
Candidates were mixed on the need for SAPA in the state. District 59 candidate Glenn Reynolds said he is a lifelong gun-owner and hunter, and he stated he would support the passing of SAPA if elected to the House.
"I'm happy to go back and revisit it on what changes need to be done to make sure this is a legal law," he said. "I feel like we have the opportunity to be able to put this into effect.
Former Jefferson City mayor Carrie Tergin, a candidate in the District 59 race, said the legislation includes certain provisions that are prohibitive to law enforcement officials, and that public safety has to be the first priority.
"We don't want legislation that is legally unenforceable," she said. "We also need to support our law enforcement teams and ensure that this doesn't impede protection of people's rights and safety, rather than helping them."
For Jefferson City's downtown conference center project, Gov. Mike Kehoe appropriated $15 million of state funding for the parking garage. The candidates differed Wednesday on the appropriateness of this decision.
Former city councilman Scott Spencer, a District 60 candidate, said he sees the investment by the state as the right way to alleviate the parking strain put on the downtown area around the Capitol.
"They share the burden, and they should recognize that. During January to May, they contribute to the parking problem downtown," he said. "I think it is a good partnership between government."
Kyerra Johnson, who is running against Spencer in District 60, said she feels instead that the allocation, and the conference center, are an unnecessary expense when the state is facing budget challenges.
"I don't think that we should simply rely on the government to give us handouts. If that is something that we truly want, we should be able to work together to push our funds and make sure that we work hard in order to fund things that we truly want," she said.
The state's foundation formula for education funding this year did not receive the full amount requested by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and lawmakers had to use one-time funds to address a shortfall. Suzanne Luther, the lone Democrat candidate for District 60, served on the Jefferson City Board of Education and said she feels investment in education and youth programs should not be neglected.
"If you want that infrastructure, we're not just talking about highways and bridges, which we need. We're talking about K-12 schools. We're talking about preschool programs. We're talking about child care," Luther said. "You need all of these components to have a thriving economy."
Local businessman Shane Kampeter, a District 60 candidate, said that because schools currently are funded by "unstable metrics" like gambling revenue, they need to be fiscally responsible and prioritize projects with real benefits to students. A positive example he pointed to is Lincoln University's new health and security building.
"It's going to support future nurses, future public safety (officials)," he said. "So I think the accountability of how that money is being spent (is important), then we're also gonna have to make those hard cuts."
Perspectives from Republican candidates for Senate District 6 will be included in a later story.