On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, state Rep. Kevin Windham talks about his decision to leave the Missouri House to take a job at Washington University as assistant director for community engagement.
He said salary considerations played a role, adding that he’s made roughly the same amount of money since he graduated from college.
The St. Louis County Democrat represents Missouri’s 74th District, which takes in municipalities such as Pagedale, Uplands Park, Normandy, Vinita Park, Hillsdale and Velda Village Hills. He will be leaving office in January.
Here’s what else Windham had to say on the program:
- He talked about some of his key successes as a member of the House, including helping to increase funding for Lincoln University in Jefferson City. Windham said the historically Black school had been underfunded for years.
- Why House Democrats were able to succeed in the budgetary process — and how he was disappointed that the speaker had so much power to control the flow of legislation.
- With St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell set to become Missouri’s 1st Congressional District representative in January, Windham talked about the political future of the district that includes all of St. Louis and some of St. Louis County.
He was first elected to the House in 2018 at age 25, making him the youngest Black man elected to the legislature.
Prior to serving in the legislature, Windham was a staffer in both the Missouri and U.S. senates. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri University and recently received a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Rep.-elect Marla Smith will succeed Windham in early January.
