Republican Ben Brown of Washington will seek to retain his seat against Democrat Vicky Wors of Union. The two ran unopposed in the August primary races.
Brown was first elected to the Senate in 2022.
The district includes Eureka in west St. Louis County as well as Franklin, Gasconade, Osage and Warren counties.
State senators are elected to four-year terms and currently receive a $41,770 salary, plus mileage and a per-diem payment for expenses for each day the General Assembly is in session. Senators are limited to serving two terms.
Brown did not return a survey to the Leader.
Wors, 72, of Union is the retired owner of Wors Consulting LLC. She previously worked as a business consultant for small- to mid-sized organizations, targeting recruitment, communications, compensation and benefits, policies and procedures. She has worked for The Earthgrains Company, Alco/Emerson, Israeli Chemical Company, EnerSys, Coca-Cola and Schlumberger. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources and journalism from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, and a master’s degree in human resources and marketing from Lindenwood University in St. Charles. She was a member of the Washington Lions Club from 2019-2021. Her husband was the late James Wors.
Why should voters elect you, and what are your goals if elected?
Wors: Missouri families and businesses deserve a strong, experienced voice in Jefferson City, and someone who listens, communicates clearly and understands the challenges people face every day. With over 40 years of business experience, I have firsthand experience working with healthcare benefits, employee compensation, workplace policies and the costs that directly affect families and businesses. I understand how healthcare decisions affect both a family’s budget and an employer’s ability to provide competitive benefits and good-paying jobs. I’ll bring that practical experience to the state Senate and fight for policies that make healthcare more affordable, strengthen family budgets, support Missouri businesses and give working Missourians a stronger voice.
Gov. Kehoe has said efforts to end Missouri’s state income tax would resurface. Do you support ending the state income tax? How should the state address the anticipated loss of revenue that would occur if the income tax were abolished?
Wors: I’m not opposed to lowering taxes. I’m opposed to making promises we can’t afford. If Missouri eliminates the income tax, we must have a responsible plan to replace that revenue without putting an unfair burden on working families, seniors and rural Missourians. We should cut waste, protect essential services, grow our economy and only reduce the income tax as the numbers prove we can afford it.
The state is expecting a tighter budget year, given that reserves have been depleted. Where do you believe the state should first look to cut expenses so that it can achieve a balanced budget? What do you believe the state’s funding priorities should be?
Wors: I would encourage an audit first, prioritize second and cut last. My priorities would be education, healthcare, public safety, infrastructure and support for our most vulnerable citizens. We need to regularly audit every major state program for effectiveness.
