On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Rep.-elect Colin Wellenkamp speaks with St. Louis Public Radio about his expectations for the 2025 legislative session, including pushing for a boost in teacher pay.
Wellenkamp is a Republican who was elected to represent Missouri’s 105th House District, which takes in most of the city of St. Charles. He will take office in early January.
Here’s what Wellenkamp talked about on the show:
- How he prevailed in the 105th House District, one of the most evenly divided districts in terms of partisan affiliation in the state. He said voters liked that he emphasized how he would go to Jefferson City to solve problems instead of trying to obstruct priorities.
- While he expects lawmakers will try to place something on repealing a constitutional amendment legalizing abortion, Wellenkamp said the result of the November election shows that Missourians don’t want strict bans on the procedure.
- How he agrees with Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe’s posture of “being at the table” with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals for discussions around new stadiums. That could be a major issue in 2025, since Kansas is trying to lure the teams over the border.
Wellenkamp is an environmental lawyer who serves as the executive director of the Mississippi River Cities and Town Initiative. That organization advocates for towns and cities along the Mississippi River, including St. Louis.
After Republican state Rep. Adam Schwadron decided to run for secretary of state, Wellenkamp ran to succeed him. He ended up beating Democrat Ron Odenthal with about 53% of the vote — a larger margin of victory than in Schwadron’s 2022 win.
