State Rep. Doug Beck is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where he spoke with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about his bid for Missouri's 1st Senate District.
The Affton Democrat is running against Republican David Lenihan for the seat, which takes in parts of unincorporated south St. Louis County, Crestwood, Maplewood and Webster Groves. The district is widely seen as one of the more competitive in Missouri.
Lenihan also recorded an episode of Politically Speaking that will be posted in the coming days.
Here’s what Beck talked about on the show:
- The challenges of campaigning for a legislative seat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, candidates for the 1st District spend a lot of time going door-to-door to meet voters. Instead, Beck said his campaign is talking to potential supporters over the phone.
- Why he is opposed to Amendment 3, which would repeal the so-called “Clean Missouri” state legislative redistricting system that voters backed in 2018.
- Why he opposed "right to work," which barred unions and employers from requiring workers to pay dues as a condition of employment. Even though voters soundly rejected the measure in 2018, Beck, a member of the Pipefitters Union, said the GOP-controlled Legislature may try to revive some form of it next year.
- His opposition to charter schools, which could become a more prominent issue. Efforts to expand charter schools have faltered in the Missouri General Assembly in recent years.
Beck has worked as a pipefitter for more than 30 years. He was first elected in 2016 to represent a south St. Louis County-based district where voters favored the GOP nominee for president, Donald Trump. Beck was also a member of the Affton School Board.
Beck was able to run unopposed in the Democratic primary in his bid for the Senate. The current occupant of that seat, Scott Sifton, D-Affton, is barred from running again due to term limits.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Doug Beck on Twitter: @dougbeck562
Music: “Ohms” by Deftones
