On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies continue their interviews with candidates for the 15th District Senate seat. This time around, they’re interviewing Democrat Steve Eagleton.
The 15th District takes in parts of south and central St. Louis County. Since Sen. Eric Schmitt is term-limited, the race for the seat this year is wide open.
The two Republicans for the seat -- state Rep. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, and former state Rep. Rick Stream, R-Kirkwood -- were on the podcast last month. Eagleton’s opponent, Mark Boyko, recorded a show that was posted earlier this week.
Steve Eagleton is the nephew of former U.S. Sen. Tom Eagleton, a legendary Democratic political figure. After a stint working for Turner Broadcasting, Eagleton eventually got his law degree and has spent a number of years as a mediator.
This is the second time Eagleton has run for the 15th District Senate seat. He narrowly lost in 2008 to fellow Democrat Jim Trout, even though he was generally favored by prominent Democrats to run against Schmitt. Back in 2008, the 15th District was more Democratic than it is today.
Here’s what Eagleton had to say during the show:
- Eagleton said he lives in Kirkwood, but also travels extensively for work and family. He added that he spends about “60 percent of his time” in the St. Louis area. Eagleton’s residency was an issue during his last campaign.
- Unlike most Missouri Democrats, Eagleton said he supports "right to work." That would bar an employer from forcing someone to pay union dues if a majority has voted to organize.
- Eagleton said he's more "moderate" than other Democrats, citing his opposition to restrictions on guns. He did add, though, that he's not in favor of a vetoed bill that would allow someone to conceal and carry a firearm without a permit.
- As of early July, Eagleton hasn’t been actively raising money to run for the 15th District seat. In fact, he said on the show he just established a Missouri Ethics Commission committee in the past few days. By comparison, Stream and Koenig have been campaigning for the seat for months.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Jo Mannies on Twitter: @jmannies
Music: “Bound for the Floor” by Local H
