former State Representative Jean Evans Archives

Gunby beats Pitman in Missouri House seat pickup for Democrats

November 6, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Democrats are celebrating Tuesday’s election of Manchester’s Trish Gunby to the Missouri House, in a pickup of a seat formerly held by a key Republican.

Renovation work continues at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City (2019 file photo)

Gunby received 3,357 votes to beat Ballwin Republican Lee Ann Pitman, who received 2,855 votes. The district, which is in west St. Louis County, was formerly held by Missouri Republican Party executive director Jean Evans.

Lawmakers in both parties traveled to the suburban district to campaign for their respective candidates, and Governor Mike Parson (R) also knocked on doors for Pitman.

Democrats won five of the six special elections on Tuesday. Four of those five seats are in strong Democratic districts, but Gunby’s race was a priority for both parties.

The other newly-elected state representatives are:

** Democrat Rasheen Aldridge, in St. Louis’ 78th district. He was unopposed and will replace former State Rep. Bruce Franks, D-St. Louis.
** Shell Knob Republican Scott Cupps, who defeated Cassville Democrat Lisa Kalp in southwest Missouri’s 158th district. It includes Barry County and small parts of Stone and Lawrence counties. Cupps will replace former State Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob, who’s now the state treasurer.
** Democrat Yolanda Young in the 22nd district, which includes Kansas City and parts of Jackson County. Young defeated Republican Tammy Louise Herrera and Green Party nominee Jeff Francis. Young will replace former State Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, who’s now a Kansas City Councilman.
** Democrat Mark Sharp in Kansas City’s 36th district. He defeated Green Party candidate Roberta Voorhees, and will replace former State Rep. DaRon McGee, D-Kansas City.
** Democrat Mike Person in north St. Louis County’s 74th district. He beat Libertarian Nicholas (Nick) Kasoff, and will replace former State Rep. Cora Faith Walker, D-Ferguson.

The newly-elected state representatives are expected to be sworn-in when the 2020 legislative session starts in January.

Republicans will control the Missouri House 114-48 in January, with one vacancy.

Six Missouri House seats to be filled in special elections on Tuesday

November 4, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Voters across the state in six legislative districts will head to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots in races for the Missouri House.

The Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City (file photo)

Republicans currently control the House 113-43, with seven vacancies.

Governor Mike Parson called Tuesday’s special election to fill six seats, due to the resignations this year of State Reps. Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob, Jean Evans, R-Manchester, Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, DaRon McGee, D-Kansas City, Cora Faith Walker, D-Ferguson and Bruce Franks Jr., D-St. Louis.

Of the six seats on Tuesday’s ballot, one is uncontested: Democrat Rasheen Aldridge will be the next State Representative to replace Representative Franks. The district is entirely in St. Louis City. Franks resigned this summer, after an emotional House floor speech in May about his struggle with anxiety and depression. Franks received a bipartisan standing ovation, after that speech.

Three of the other districts are Democratic strongholds, one is a GOP stronghold and another is getting attention from both parties.

Lawmakers in both parties have been canvassing in the 99th district in St. Louis County, a seat formerly held by Representative Evans. Republican Lee Ann Pitman of Ballwin is facing Democrat Trish Gunby of Manchester. This will be the most closely-watched race on Tuesday. Evans won re-election to the House last November but resigned in January to become the Missouri Republican Party’s executive director.

In southwest Missouri’s Barry County and small parts of Stone and Lawrence counties, voters will choose between Republican Scott Cupps of Shell Knob and Cassville Democrat Lisa Kalp, to replace now-Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick won re-election to a fourth House term last November. However, Governor Parson appointed Fitzpatrick as State Treasurer in December, and Fitzpatrick was sworn-in in January, after Eric Schmitt was appointed as Attorney General.

In Kansas City, voters Tuesday will decide between Democrat Yolanda Young, Republican Tammy Louise Herrera and Green Party nominee Jeff Francis in the race for Ellington’s former House seat. Ellington, the House Minority Whip, resigned from the House this summer, after being elected to the Kansas City Council. This district also includes parts of Jackson County.

In Kansas City’s 36th House district, voters will decide between Democrat Mark Sharp and Green Party candidate Roberta Voorhees for a seat formerly held by Representative McGee. He resigned in April, after allegations of sexual harassment against a former staffer.

In St. Louis County’s 74th District, voters will choose between Democrat Mike Person and Libertarian Nicholas (Nick) Kasoff for a seat formerly held by Representative Walker, who resigned this summer to become St. Louis County’s policy director.

The winners of the races are expected to be sworn-in in January, when the 2020 legislative session begins in Jefferson City.

The seventh House vacancy will be filled at a special election, at a later date. State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, died in July. She suffered serious injuries in a March head-on collision on Highway 50 in west-central Missouri’s Syracuse.