On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Republican state Rep. Michael O’Donnell joins St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum to discuss the upcoming Missouri General Assembly session.
O’Donnell represents Missouri’s 95th House District, which takes in a portion of south St. Louis County — primarily the Oakville area. He was first elected in 2018 and reelected last year.
Here’s what O’Donnell talked about on the program:
- Whether Republicans should try for a congressional map that makes U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner’s St. Louis County-based district more Republican.
- Proposals that would resuscitate Missouri’s government-issued photo identification requirement to vote. He also provided his opinion on whether there should be runoffs for statewide and congressional elections.
- Whether there are opportunities for bipartisanship in next year’s session, when numerous legislators will be running for reelection or higher-profile offices like state Senate or congressional seats.
- A recent town hall meeting he conducted on car theft in St. Louis County, which featured Prosecutor Wesley Bell.
O’Donnell has worked for many years in the securities industry. He joined the Navy after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, inspired to serve after one of his friends was killed in the World Trade Center.
After state Rep. Marsha Haefner, R-St. Louis County, left the Missouri House due to term limits, O’Donnell narrowly defeated Joe Patterson in the GOP primary. When Haefner ran in 2010, the district was considered fairly competitive, but it’s become more Republican-leaning in the past decade.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Sarah Kellogg on Twitter: @sarahkkellogg
Follow Michael O’Donnell on Twitter: @michaelod_mo
