Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway, who was elected two years ago to succeed Elaine Freeman Gannon as the District 115 representative in the Missouri House of Representatives, faces her first challenge for re-election.
Buchheit-Courtway ran unopposed in the August primary election, but now must face Democrat Barbara Marco, who also was unopposed in August, in the Nov. 8 general election.
Gannon, who was prohibited from running for a fifth two-year term in the House, now is a state senator.
State representatives currently receive a $37,711 salary, plus mileage and a per-diem payment for expenses for each day the General Assembly is in session.
BUCHHEIT-COURTWAY, 46, of the Festus area is the current state representative for District 115 and has worked for Mercy Hospital Jefferson and Enterprise Bank. She and her husband, David, have five children and 16 grandchildren. A 1994 graduate of St. Vincent de Paul High School, she received an associate degree in 2018 from Jefferson College.
Website: cyndi4mo.com
MARCO, 70, of De Soto is retired after she and her husband, Kevin Hurley, started Windy Hill Nursery. She also owned Marco Data Service and worked as a computer programmer for Emerson Electric, Brown Shoe Co., the May Co. and McDonnell Douglas and also ran her son’s construction business. She has two children and five grandchildren. She earned a degree in data processing at Florissant Valley Community College and a 2007 certificate in horticulture at Meramec Community College.
Website: barbaramarco.com
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Buchheit-Courtway: As the current District 115 representative, I have been serving 37,000 people for almost two years. I belong to several organizations, including the Twin City Optimist Club, 67 Gun Club, several political party organizations, the Festus-Crystal City Conservation Club and Women Legislators of Missouri in the House. I was a Sunday school teacher and AWANA leader for 10 years. I enjoy working with and for the people.
Marco: I am the Valle Township committeewoman. I am a past president of the Business and Professional Women and past vice-chair and treasurer of the Women Dems PAC. I volunteered at Jefferson Memorial Hospital. I went door-to-door surveying flood victims for buyouts with the Citizens for Flood Relief in De Soto. I am most proud of Eclipse Park at the De Soto Public Library; my husband and I designed, built and landscaped a memorial brick patio.
What specific needs exist in your district, and how would you address them?
Buchheit-Courtway: Economic, infrastructure and broadband development. Serving as vice-chair of the Transportation and the Broadband Development Committees and on the Rural Community Development Committee gives me the opportunity to work on securing resources for these areas. I worked with other county legislators to secure $25 million for port development. I will continue promoting the improvement of our interstate highways, providing safe and efficient travel. As chair of the Subcommittee on Mental Health Policy Research, I have been working with a bipartisan group of peers to help find solutions for our children needing help.
Marco: Jefferson County has 70-year-old veterans who have worked 45 years and are now forced to live in a car. There is a shortage of affordable housing for those with low and medium incomes. Landlords evict reliable seniors living on fixed incomes and then charge more than the seniors can afford. Jefferson County currently has 2,000 persons on the HUD waiting list. Our legislators have not advocated for our share of federal construction loans in the state budget. I will advocate for our veterans and seniors.
According to recent polls, the majority of Americans want stricter gun laws. Do you support gun law reforms, and if so what changes do you support? For example, do you support raising age limits to buy guns, more stringent background checks, requiring waiting periods when buying guns, prohibiting types of guns, ammunition clips or ammunition?
Buchheit-Courtway: The Second Amendment says: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” These are beautiful words, that have a strong meaning. The problem we face in Missouri and America, is not citizens who buy guns legally, it is the criminals that use them for bad purposes. Many things besides guns can and are used as weapons and abolishing or diminishing the Second Amendment that our forefathers wrote for us is not the answer, nor in the best interest of the people.
Marco: I have been a gun owner for 40 years and am married to a 13-year veteran who harvested his first deer at age 8. Everyone should go through a background check, especially at gun shows. Silencers and binary triggers should be illegal.
A majority of voters, both in Missouri and nationwide, say they favor abortion rights in some instances. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, what changes should the state government enact, if any, concerning abortion rights?
Buchheit-Courtway: What the Supreme Court did with their decision is stipulate that this is a state issue, not a federal issue. I am pro-life from conception to the natural end of life.
Marco: I am pro-choice. If something horrible happened to your family, I’m betting you would want a choice. Forcing a 10-year-old rape victim to give birth is cruel and dangerous as Missouri has one of the highest maternal mortality rates. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Sex Offender Registry lists almost 20,000 names in Missouri and 500 in Jefferson County (who were caught). Missouri’s extreme ban on abortion with no exception for rape or incest should be repealed.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Buchheit-Courtway: In the last two years, I have given my heart and soul to serve the people of District 115, as well as all of Jefferson County. I listen to both sides of every issue and reach out to experts in the field to make sure I understand the meaning of all legislation. I have vowed to continue the fight in Jefferson City, if I am blessed to be elected once again. I have the heart and energy to fight for our voices to be heard.
Marco: I have real-world experience in owning several small businesses. My goals are to repeal the extreme abortion ban; fix the voter suppression bill, which prevents many seniors from voting; have 2 cents of the retail sales tax returned to the retailer if the tax is paid on time. This does help small businesses, but Walmart doesn’t deserve this windfall. Also, Ameren’s Rush Island coal-powered plant is scheduled to close and school districts will lose $100,000 annually. I will sponsor a bill to cap the rebate and earmark it for education, preventing property taxes from rising.