On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Missouri state Sen. Jason Bean joins St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg to discuss Gov. Mike Parson’s budget vetoes and the future of the Senate.
He said he expects the Senate to uphold Parson’s roughly $1 billion worth of budget cuts. Bean also said it’s likely that lawmakers will have to approve a massive supplemental budget request in the coming months.
Bean represents Missouri’s 25th District, which includes Stoddard, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley, Oregon, Mississippi, Butler, Wayne and Carter counties. The Holcomb Republican was elected to his post in 2020.
Here’s what else Bean discussed on the program:
- While the 25th Senate District is now heavily Republican, Bean explained how much of southeast Missouri changed from leaning strongly Democratic.
- Navigating the Senate, which includes a GOP caucus that is often divided between Republican leadership and more conservative lawmakers. He said he’s tried to forge relationships with as many factions as possible to pass legislation, including a measure restricting how eminent domain can be used.
- Potential ballot items to legalize sports betting and abortion, both of which could come before voters in November.
Bean runs a farming operation in Holcomb in Dunklin County. His father, former state Rep. Otto Bean, was the first Republican ever to be elected to the 163rd House District – which historically took in portions of the Bootheel region.
In 2020, Bean jumped into a crowded GOP primary to succeed retiring state Sen. Doug Libla. He ended up winning the race against three other candidates with more than 46% of the vote — which was tantamount to election since he had no Democratic opponent.
Bena is squaring off against Democrat Chuck Banks in November but is likely to return to the Senate because of the 25th District’s tilt toward the GOP.
