Republican Blaine Luetkemeyer of St. Elizabeth is seeking his seventh consecutive two-year term in the U.S. House of Representatives, but faces three opponents in the Republican Party’s primarily election on Aug. 2: Brandon Wilkinson of Fenton, Dustin Hill of Middletown and Richard Skwira Jr. of Lake St. Louis.
None of the Republicans returned a Leader candidate questionnaire.
The winner of the Republican primary will square off against the winner of the Democratic Party’s primary. Those contenders are Jon Karlen of O’Fallon, Bethany Mann of Brentwood, Andrew Daly of Fulton and Dylan Durrwachter of St. Peters.
Karlen, Daly and Durrwachter did not return a Leader candidate questionnaire.
After redistricting following the 2020 federal Census, District 3 covers western Jefferson County and includes much of east-central Missouri.
District 8, which includes the eastern part of Jefferson County and extends south to the Bootheel and many counties west of there, has been represented by Republican Jason Smith since 2013.
Smith first was seated in Congress after he won a special election to fill a vacancy created when Jo Ann Emerson resigned. He then was re-elected to a full two-year term in 2014 and was re-elected in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
Neither Smith, of Salem, nor his opponent in the Aug. 2 primary election, Jacob Turner of Jackson, returned Leader candidate questionnaires.
The winner of the primary will take on Democrat Randi McCallian of Newburg and Libertarian Jim Higgins of St. Louis in the November general election. Both are running unopposed in their party’s primaries.
The pay for U.S. representative is $174,000 a year, plus allowances. The term is for two years.
DISTRICT 3
Democrats
MANN, 39, of Brentwood is a chemistry technology specialist for Metrohm USA, which provides instruments, research and development and education for various industries. A native of Foristell, she and her husband, Carson, have two children. She was homeschooled and earned an associate degree in prepharmacy in 2008 from Lincoln Land Community College and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2010 from the University of Illinois-Springfield.
Website/social media: Website: BethanyMannForCongress.com
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Mann: I worked retail and service jobs for 11 years, starting my professional career as an intern with the Environmental Protection Agency in Springfield, Ill. I specialize in agriculture, water quality and manufacturing compliance and testing. I serve on the executive board of the Kansas Laboratory Education Association. I have a passion for education, science and technology, and bringing people together.
What specific needs exist in your district, and how would you address them?
Mann: Education, infrastructure and labor and health care issues must be addressed. I support full and equal funding for public schools, including increases to teacher pay. I will fight to make sure that rural parts of Missouri receive funding to improve roads, bridges, dams, failed electrical grids and water quality. I would protect the rights of workers to collectively bargain and organize for better wages and working conditions, which protects American labor. I would work to pass Medicare for all, which would improve rural access to health care, including primary, dental, vision, reproductive health services, mental health and addiction care.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Mann: I am a problem-solver, with experience solving complicated problems after listening and learning. My priorities will be to save our public schools, invest in Missouri infrastructure and labor, fix our broken health care system and protect the environment.
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?
Mann: As a mom and a conservationist, I support the Second Amendment with reasonable and common-sense gun laws, including red-flag laws, stricter background checks with longer waiting periods and requiring liability insurance on certain types of weapons purchases. I support an assault weapons ban and fully funding research studies to help us figure out why these senseless mass shootings continue to occur with alarming frequency in America. We should also meaningfully deal with the issue of domestic terrorism and find ways to keep Americans from being radicalized by targeted online recruitment.
Some people question the validity of the last presidential election. Who do you believe won the election and why?
Mann: The evidence shows that Joe Biden won the election, both in the Electoral College and by popular vote. Through lawsuits, recounts and false voter fraud allegations, Donald Trump misled many people to believe otherwise with the help of some members of Congress. We should protect and defend our American elections, starting with protecting and expanding the right to vote, and expanding the ways that Missourians may securely cast a ballot.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Mann: I am a problem-solver with experience solving complicated problems after listening and learning. My priorities will be to save our public schools, invest in Missouri infrastructure and labor, fix our broken health care system and protect the environment.