Politically Speaking

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Sarah Kellogg and Rachel Lippmann break down Tuesday's primary election results – including the massive failures of Amendments 4 and 5 and Congressman Wesley Bell's big re-election victory in the state's 1st Congressional District.

Former Missouri state Rep. Hannah Kelly, who is running for the Rolla-based 16th Senate District seat, is strongly opposed to legalizing and regulating video gaming machines that are often found in gas stations, convenience stores and fraternal organizations. “I do not want these machines in our gas stations easily accessible to our children,” she said. Kelly decided to initially run for office because she felt there was a great disconnect between her generation and people serving in the legislature.

On a special edition of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum previews the upcoming August 4th Missouri primary with STLPR reporters Rachel Lippmann and Sarah Kellogg. The journotrio talk about the impact of Amendments 4 and 5 on state legislative elections; the St. Louis County executive contest; and the impact of a redistricting referendum on upcoming elections.

State Rep. Don Mayhew is one of three major Republican candidates running for the 16th Senatorial District seat. The Crocker Republican joins STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum and Jonathan Ahl on the latest episode of Politically Speaking to talk about his campaign and why voters of the Rolla area district should elect him over Bill Hardwick and Hannah Kelly.

For years, the Missouri Senate has been ground zero for some of the fiercest battles – often driven by personal animosity between legislators. For state Rep. Bill Hardwick, being able to bring consensus to difficult policy fights is a big reason why he says Republican voters in Missouri's 16th Senate District should choose him on Aug. 4. “I can just really drill down and analyze these subjects in detail, really complex, really abstract problems,” Hardwick said on the “Politically Speaking” podcast. “I can deal with people, help them solve problems, and try to apply these ethereal concepts to real people's lives. That's my kind of draw to politics.”

Joan VonDras believes that if Democrats are going to beat Congresswoman Ann Wagner in the fall, they'll have to stretch past their comfort zone. VonDras, a former educator at the Clayton and Parkway School districts, and Fred Wellman are the major contenders in the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary. VonDras has been holding town halls throughout the 2nd District, which includes a number of GOP-leaning areas like Jefferson, Franklin and Gasconade counties. She said the winner of the Aug. 4 primary Democratic primary can't win in November without appealing to Republicans and independents. “There are plenty of people that want to put country above party, and those are the people we need to tap into,” VonDras said during an appearance on the “Politically Speaking” podcast.

With less than two weeks to go before voters in St. Louis and St. Louis County decide their nationally-watched race, Congressman Wesley Bell and Cori Bush clashed in an intense joint appearance Friday. The two Democrats got into tense exchanges about their campaign finance donations and spending during an appearance on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

Democrat David Bryant is one of two candidates seeking the party's nomination for St. Louis County prosecuting attorney. The winner will face a Libertarian candidate in November.

The Democrat is one of two candidates seeking the party's nomination for St. Louis County prosecuting attorney. The winner will face a frequent Libertarian candidate in November.

Tim Whitney had always wanted to be in law enforcement. And he achieved his goal by working his way up to being the second-in-command at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. But after a number of years of overseeing day-to-day operations for the agency, Whitney is making the transition to politics by running for Jefferson County executive — something he said is a continuation of his public service and his love for his home county. “I love Jefferson County,” Whitney said on St. Louis Public Radio's “Politically Speaking.” “As I say that, I can hear listeners gasping or rolling their eyes because that's a political answer. As somebody who has been in law enforcement my whole life… When I said those words, they were taken at face value. The day you become a politician, there's a sense of skepticism that applies to that. And there should be because of the things politicians before have done.” Whitney is running against John Stockton in the GOP primary on Aug. 4. The winner will be the heavy favorite to succeed Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon, who is not running for re-election.

The St. Louis County Democrat is one of two candidates seeking his party's nomination to replace Jake Zimmerman, who hopes to be the next St. Louis County executive.

John Stockton has never run for political office before. But when incumbent Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon decided not to run for another term, he thought the time had come in his life to enter the political arena. Stockton, who operates several businesses in Jefferson County, said his motivation for jumping into the GOP primary is about giving back to the place that he's called home for almost all of his life. “There comes a point in time where it's not about titles or positions anymore,” Stockton said. “It's about ultimately giving back to the county that's given me everything.” Stockton is running in the Aug. 4 Republican primary against Tim Whitney, who is the undersheriff for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Stockton said that he's knocked on over 5,000 doors and is hearing a desire for the county government to be more service oriented.

The St. Ann Democrat is one of two candidates seeking his party's nomination to replace Jake Zimmerman, who hopes to be the next St. Louis County executive.

The Democrat from Florissant is one of three seeking the party's nomination to replace Sam Page. The winner of the August primary will face Republican and Green party candidates in November.

The Democrat from Olivette is one of three seeking the party's nomination to replace Sam Page. The winner of the August primary will face Republican and Green party candidates in November.

The Democrat from University City is one of three seeking the party's nomination to replace Sam Page as County Executive. The winner of the August primary will face Republican County Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton, in November.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we explore three major contests up on the Aug. 4 ballot: The Republican primary for St. Charles County Executive; a ballot item over whether some constitutional amendments should be more difficult to pass; and the reauthorization of a critical sales tax funding Missouri State Parks.

Gina Mitten returns to Politically Speaking to discuss her next goal in Missouri politics: Becoming the next state senator for Missouri's 4th District. Mitten joins St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum to talk about why she's the best Democrat for the job, what she would focus on in the Senate and her opinions on Amendments 3, 4 and 5.

Steve Butz, a St. Louis Democrat, joins St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum to talk about his candidacy for Missouri's 4th Senate District. He also spoke on his vote to place the St. Louis Police Department under state control, what the state still needs to do on tornado recovery as well as his thoughts on some of the proposed constitutional amendments that Missouri voters will decide on.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Republican Chris Stigall talks about his campaign to succeed Congressman Sam Graves in Missouri's 6th Congressional District. Stigall's main opponent in the Aug. 4 primary is Kansas City Councilman Nathan Willett, who appeared earlier this month on the podcast.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Sarah Fentem talks about the impact of Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang's ruling on abortion access – and how November's Amendment 3 could put expanded access at risk. Children's Division director Sara Smith discusses how she's reorganizing how child abuse investigators do their jobs. And Politically Speaking Hour host Jason Rosenbaum asks a very, very important question: What makes someone a Missourian?

St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann was originally going to retire after roughly 20 years on the job. But the Republican countywide official chose to seek a sixth term in office, partly because he believes he's the only candidate who can prevent former Sen. Bill Eigel from taking his job. “Given the people who were running, especially former Sen. Eigel, it was necessary for me to defend everything that my team has been able to accomplish over the last 20 years,” Ehlmann said on “Politically Speaking.”

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, former state Sen. Bill Eigel talks about why he's running for St. Charles County executive. Eigel is one of three major candidates in the Aug. 4 primary, which includes incumbent Steve Ehlmann and former Lake Saint Louis Mayor Jason Law.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, former Lake Saint Louis Mayor Jason Law discusses his bid for St. Charles County Executive. Law is squaring off against incumbent County Executive Steve Ehlmann and former Sen. Bill Eigel on Aug. 4.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Kansas City City Councilman Nathan Willett joins the program to talk about his bid to become the GOP nominee in Missouri's 6th Congressional District. Willett is one of two major Republican contenders running to succeed Rep. Sam Graves in Congress.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, Sarah Labowitz of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace joins the program to talk about the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief program. Later, STLPR's Rachel Lippmann discussed the push from the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners to raise pay for commanders.

In a wide-ranging interview with STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy talks about his book “The Crisis of the Common Good: The Search for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America.” Among other things, Murphy explores how globalization and technology advances erased distinct aspects of American society.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we look into whether Republicans will try to dismantle Missouri's 1st Congressional District in 2027. We also talk with state Rep. Richard West about moving St. Charles County school-related elections from April to November.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum and Will Bauer talk with Christian Mitchell – who Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker selected to be his lieutenant governor running mate last year. Mitchell is a former state legislator and deputy governor.

The Ian Mackey era in the Missouri House is coming to an end. And on the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, the Clayton Democrat reflected on his eight years of service in the Missouri House. Mackey and STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum discussed education policy, a possible merger between St. Louis and St. Louis County, and why he does not like the initiative petition process.

On the latest episode of STLPR's Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Sarah Kellogg and Lilley Halloran join the show to break down what passed and what didn't pass during the 2026 Missouri General Assembly session. And later in the show, representatives with Respect Missouri Voters break down their initiative that could make it much harder for lawmakers to overturn voter-approved initiatives.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, economist Aaron Hedlund talks about Gov. Mike Kehoe's plan to expand the state's sales and use taxes to get rid of the income tax. Later in the show, St. Louis Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer discusses her misgivings about a data center near the Armory Building in Midtown. And former Sen. Scott Sifton provides his impressions of how the U.S. Supreme Court handled a landmark case involving how Roundup is labeled.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR reporters talk with St. Louis residents before Mayor Cara Spencer's State of the City. We also take a look at whether St. Charles County could be in the process of a big political shift toward the Democrats. And we also explore the history of protest music both inside and outside the St. Louis region.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, former state legislator and former judge Ted House talks with STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum about what the recent results in St. Charles County mean for the fast-growing area's political future. House is the last Democrat elected in St. Charles County, but he says he hopes he's not the last.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum talks with attorney Joe Blanner about the prospect of St. Louis entering St. Louis County as a municipality. Rosenbaum also takes stock about the end of the 2026 candidate filing period – and also previews Tuesday's municipal elections with STLPR's Hiba Ahmad.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum talks with Sen. Tracy McCreery and Rep. George Hruza about what to expect in the second half of the 2026 Missouri General Assembly session. Rosenbaum also discussed the results of the Illinois primary for STLPR's Will Bauer. And he also welcomed back Congressman Eric Burlison to the program to talk about why he supports bringing the talking filibuster to the U.S. Senate.

On a special edition of Politically Speaking, Congressman Eric Burlison talks with STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum about why he wants the federal filibuster to resemble the Missouri Senate's filibuster. In the U.S. Senate, a filibuster doesn't require anyone to talk or exert much energy. In the Missouri Senate, a senator or senators can hold the floor as long as they want either until they stand down or until there's a forced vote.

On the latest episode of "The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis in the Air," Washington University's Carly Wayne talks with STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum about how Missouri and Illinois Republicans are reacting to Donald Trump's attack on Iran. Missouri Independent deputy editor Rudi Keller discusses the lay of the legal land on Missouri redistricting. And STLPR's Will Bauer and Capitol News Illinois' Brenden Moore preview the March 17 Illinois primary.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who holds a massive fundraising advantage, is among three leading Democrats in the primary to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. On this episode of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio's Will Bauer and Jason Rosenbaum ask Krishnamoorthi why Illinoisans should send him to the Senate.

As he tries to become the next St. Charles County executive, former state Sen. Bill Eigel is defending his fundraising strategies that inspired Republican House members to advance legislation curtailing recurring campaign contributions. Eigel speaks with STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air. Rosenbaum reports from Springfield on how Missouri Republicans at Lincoln Days are preparing for the 2026 election. And he also talks with STLPR's Will Bauer about Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's State of the State and Budget Address.

The Chicago-area real estate developer, video gambling mogul and fuel company owner entered the GOP primary in Illinois governor's race late last fall. On this episode of Politically Speaking, Heidner makes his case for why he's the right Republican to take on Gov. JB Pritzker.

The Chicago-area sheriff believes his lengthy law enforcement career positions him best to address public safety and criminal justice issues in the Republican race for governor. On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio's Will Bauer sits down with Mendrick to discuss how he would govern as Illinois' chief executive.

U.S. Rep. Bob Onder said it's possible that lawmakers may not come up with an agreement to keep the federal government fully open past Friday. While lawmakers passed a number of appropriations bills, they held off on passing a measure funding the Department of Homeland Security, which could disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Safety Administration. Democrats have demanded that the Homeland Security funding bill include guardrails, especially after ICE and Border Patrol's actions in Minnesota drew nationwide outrage. On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, Onder acknowledged that he was “disturbed” by what went on in Minneapolis and other places around the country. But he also criticized states that allow sanctuary cities which limit cooperation with federal immigration officials.

Should Illinois Republicans renominate Darren Bailey as their gubernatorial candidate or should they choose a political newcomer to take on Gov. JB Pritzker in November? On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, STLPR's Will Bauer talks with Bailey about his second candidacy to be chief executive in the Land of Lincoln.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum talks with Attorney General Catherine Hanaway on why she's filing a lawsuit to exclude certain immigrants from the Census. Rosenbaum also checks in with St. Louis Comptroller Donna Baringer about how she's overhauling an office responsible for key financial decisions.