This week the Politically Speaking podcast crew welcomes Jill Schupp, the Democratic candidate for the state Senate in the 24th District.
The 24th District, which takes in a large area of central and west St. Louis County, is considered a politically swing district. As a result, the contest betweeen Schupp and GOP candidate Jay Ashcroft is seen as one of the state’s few legislative districts up for grabs on the Nov. 4 ballot. The post is currently held by Republican John Lamping, who is retiring.
High-profile Republicans and Democrats are assisting both campaigns. The combined spending is expected to exceed $2 million.
Schupp is a former teacher who then worked in advertising. She took a break to raise her children and won election to the Ladue School Board. She later was elected to the Creve Coeur City Council and subsequently won a seat in the Missouri House.
On the podcast, she said:
- Her chief focus is on health care, jobs and public education. “My first priority is making sure our educational system is up to par,” she said.
- She will work to persuade the General Assembly to approve the Medicaid expansion recommended in the federal Affordable Care Act. Participation would bring in about $2 billion a year in federal money and expand health coverage to roughly 300,000 poor Missourians.
- She will reach across the aisle, as she did in the state House. However, Schupp also said that “the extremists have set the agenda’’ in the state Capitol because the GOP controls both chambers.
- One of the first bills she plans to file would seek to restore campaign-donation limits in Missouri.
Note to listeners: When this podcast was recorded, we had expected Schupp's Republican rival, Jay Ashcroft, to do a separate podcast with us. He and his campaign chief had agreed initially to participate, but since then they have changed their minds.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Chris McDaniel on Twitter: @csmcdaniel
Follow Jo Mannies on Twitter: @jmannies
Follow Jill Schupp on Twitter: @jillschupp
