Politically Speaking

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum welcomes two high-profile members of Congress from Missouri: Reps. Cori Bush and Jason Smith. Bush spoke with Rosenbaum about her time in Congress, and why she's not going to fade away from public view after she leaves office. And Smith discusses the tricky road for Republicans to expand and extend 2017 tax cuts.

Kelli Dunaway, the outgoing 2nd District St. Louis County Councilwoman, talks to Rachel Lippmann about her five years on the legislative body.

Missouri Democrats had yet another disappointing election cycle in 2024. And on the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Russ Carnahan talks about how the party is trying to rebuild over the next few years. We also talk with officials from PROMO about how the Missouri Department of Revenue made it more difficult to change a gender marker on a driver's license.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Rep.-elect Colin Wellenkamp speaks with St. Louis Public Radio about his expectations for the 2025 session including pushing for a boost in teacher pay. Wellenkamp is a Republican who was elected to represent Missouri’s 105th House District, which takes in most of the city of St. Charles. He will take office in early January.

Missouri House Representative-elect Elizabeth Fuchs joins St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg to talk about why she decided to run for the House, her desire for loud and unapologetic queer leadership in Missouri and her thoughts on issues lawmakers may address next session.

Missouri state Rep.-elect Nick Kimble didn’t have to go through an arduous primary or general election to get to Jefferson City. The St. Louis Democrat ran unopposed in the primary to succeed state Rep. Donna Baringer in Missouri’s 82nd House District, which takes in a southwest portion of the city. That basically sealed Kimble’s election since the district is heavily Democratic. But as Kimble noted on a recent episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, the 82nd District features perhaps the largest concentration of Republicans in the city of St. Louis. And that gives him a different perspective on how to represent the area in Jefferson City. “Growing up in the district, I knew a lot of those Republicans,” Kimble said. “I went to school with them. I was friends with their kids, I mowed their lawn, I delivered pizzas. So I think that helps. I consider myself a center left and moderate person. I don't go around to the fish fries or various things on the Hill in South City talking about partisan issues or partisan politics.”

We get this question a lot: Why do Missourians vote for progressive ballot items and Republican candidates? On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we talk with political consultant and split ticket voters themselves to try and get a straight answer. STLPR's Rachel Lippmann joins the show to talk about squabbles over the St. Louis Rams settlement and we also dive into a proposal for publicly financing St. Louis County elections.

It would be an immense understatement to say that St. Louis Public Schools encountered profound challenges in the past few months. Not only has the district faced struggles providing transportation for students, but the Board of Education recently fired its superintendent. And members of that seven-person board are also eying potential school closures and difficulties recruiting and retaining special education personnel. On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Board of Education members Toni Cousins and Matt Davis provide an in-depth look at St. Louis Public Schools’ challenges — and why political leaders need to be engaged to help mitigate them.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum talks with UMSL's Anita Manion about the 2024 election results in Missouri. GOP candidates won up and down the ballot. But abortion rights backers won a seismic victory with the passage of Amendment 3. Also joining the program is STLPR's Sarah Kellogg, Rachel Lippmann and Will Bauer.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg preview Tuesday's election. And STLPR's Abby Llorico talks with a media literacy expert about how the rise in misinformation affects how people consume political news. This episode also feature completely real (and not A.I.-generated) cameos from actor Jon Hamm and fashion icon Karlie Kloss — who both talked with Rosenbaum this week about the Nov. 5 election.

Democrat Bethany Mann has a tough task running for Missouri’s 3rd District, which was drawn in 2022 to be favorable to Republicans. But during an episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, Mann said she’s been able to make inroads with voters who typically don’t vote for Democrats by listening to their concerns. “And that's why I think that running in what would normally be an uncontested seat is so important,” Mann said. “Because it allows you to have those conversations with folks, to show that you're just not a talking figure in a suit. You're actually going to talk to them about the issues that matter the most to their family.”

Sixteen years ago, Bob Onder lost a bitterly contested congressional primary to Blaine Luetkemeyer. Since that time, Onder’s political trajectory took plenty of twists and turns — including becoming a key member of Senate Republicans who openly fought with GOP leadership. But after beating his former Senate colleague Kurt Schaefer in an August primary, Onder could very well be on his way to Washington, D.C. next year as Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District representative. “At the end of the day, I think our conservative message, our America First message, did break through, and the voters decided by a healthy margin to choose me as the Republican nominee,” Onder said on an episode of the Politically Speaking Podcast. “47% of the vote in a seven way race is not bad.” Onder is taking on Democrat Bethany Mann to represent the 3rd District, which takes parts of the St. Louis area and portions of central Missouri. Mann recorded an episode of Politically Speaking that will air later this week.

For several decades, Ray Hartmann was a regular on the Nine Network’s Donnybrook where he often clashed with other St. Louis journalists about a litany of local issues. He also started the Riverfront Times, which regularly took a contrarian view about politics and culture in the St. Louis region. But earlier this year, Hartmann announced he was leaving the journalism world to take on U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin. And on an episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, Hartmann made the case that he would be a more present and effective legislator for the 2nd Congressional District, which includes a large swath of the St. Louis region. “Our politics are broken and Congress is broken,” Hartmann said. “And I've been in the public eye for a long time, and I just felt this was the time to step up.”

For Republicans like Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wagner, intraparty rancor was a recurring theme throughout the past two years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Because of a fairly small majority, and Democratic control of the Senate and the White House, House Republicans weren’t able to accomplish many of their priorities. And the schisms within the House GOP became so bad that a renegade group of lawmakers teamed up with House Democrats to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But throughout the tumult, Wagner said on the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast she’s been able to get things done both on the House floor and on the House Financial Services Committee. She’s also pointed to her advocacy for Boeing, one of the St. Louis region’s biggest employers. “There are ways to get things done in divided government,” Wagner said. “I do reach across the aisle. I believe that I am part of the governing portion of this House.”

On this week’s Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we welcome opponents of two high-profile Missouri ballot items to legalize sports betting and abortion. We’ll also examine new polling from the Midwest Newsroom and Emerson College taking the pulse of how Missourians feel about both of those issues.

For many close observers of Missouri politics, David Wasinger’s win in a crowded primary to succeed Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe was something of a surprise. The St. Louis County attorney narrowly edged state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican who had nabbed a slew of key endorsements and raised a substantial amount of money. During an episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, Wasinger attributed his win to something unusual: His 2018 loss in a Republican primary for state auditor. Even though he fell short to eventual primary winner Saundra McDowell, Wasinger said that campaign gave him a good perspective on what he needed to do to win in a crowded statewide race. And it also ensured he had a solid base of supporters from all over Missouri. “I would not have been able to run for lieutenant governor on this shorter ramp up period of time unless I had run for state auditor,” Wasinger said. “So I honestly, whether it's fate, or I think the good Lord looks over you, and this is what he saw as my calling. So it works out in mysterious ways, and this was the path that I've been given.”

Illinois U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, said she’s not taking anything for granted in her first reelection bid this November. “We're working really hard throughout the district to tell the story of the work that we've been doing in this first term and making the case for the work that I want to continue to be doing,” Budzinski said on the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast. While Illinois’ 13th Congressional District could be a swing district, stretching from a majority of the Metro East to Springfield and Urbana-Champaign, electoral experts have it rated as a safe or solid Democratic seat this election cycle.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Missouri Chamber of Commerce's interim President Kara Corches explains why her organization is opposing Proposition A. That measure would raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026 and institute mandatory sick time for employers.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, former Missouri Ethics Commission executive director Liz Ziegler joins the show to answer a slew of listener questions about the state's byzantine campaign finance laws. Also on the program: Democrat Lucas Kunce makes the case about why he has a chance against GOP Sen. Josh Hawley. And the state's trade union members talk about how they're approaching the 2024 election.

On paper, Illinois’ 13th Congressional District could be winnable for a Republican, but it will be an uphill battle for Joshua Loyd, who’s hoping to unseat incumbent Nikki Budzinski in November. The biggest factor working against Loyd, R-Virden, is cash. At the end of the second quarter, Budzinski, D-Springfield, held a 123 to 1 fundraising advantage over her GOP challenger in the race to represent the district which stretches from the Metro East to Urbana-Champaign. “I'm not concerned at all with the finances because I'm actually out there talking with individuals,” Loyd said on the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast. “This is not necessarily a money game. People always say it's about the money. No, it's about being analytical, understanding where to put your effort.”