Renee Reuter figures her window of opportunity to serve northeast Jefferson County residents from a seat in the Missouri Legislature just opened.
Reuter, a charter member of the Jefferson County Council, has announced she will run for the Republican Party’s nomination for the 112th District seat in the Missouri House of Representatives in the August primary.
That seat currently is held by Rob Vescovo, the speaker of the House. He cannot run for another two-year term because of the state’s term limits standards.
Reuter, 52, of Imperial said she knows open legislative seats don’t happen very often, adding that she considered running for a House seat 12 years ago but decided to seek a spot on the new County Council instead.
“This is a great opportunity that’s presented itself,” she said. “My employment has changed since I first ran for the County Council, and it now is much easier for me to serve as a state representative.”
Reuter, an intellectual property lawyer, works as senior counsel at the Armstrong Teasdale law firm in St. Louis.
She said because the 112th District is similar to the County Council’s 2nd District, she feels the House seat is a good fit.
“I know the people; I know their value system,” she said. “If I’m elected, I would go in with 10 years of legislative experience.”
Reuter said she has no particular set of legislative goals to promote if she is elected.
“I hope to continue to serve my people, be their voice,” she said. “When you’re in Hillsboro, it’s not a very bad drive for people in my area to make their opinions known. But in Jefferson City, you need to rely more on your representative to be your voice. That’s what I want to do – represent our people.”
Reuter said she would step down from her council seat if she is elected. She is in the middle of her third four-year term after first being elected to a two-year term. If she is not elected, she said, she would continue her tenure on the council.
Reuter, who has been either the chair or vice chair for seven of her 12 years on the council, said she is proud of several actions during that time.
“We’ve opened several new government buildings, like the Emergency Management Center, the evidence building for the Sheriff’s Office and the new Animal Resource Center, all without raising taxes or asking voters for a bond issue, which exemplifies the conservative nature of the council.”
She said she’s also proud of the various road projects in her district, including Lions Den Road, the ongoing project to improve Old Lemay Ferry Road, Romaine Creek Road and Konert Road.
“My district is a safer place today than when I took office,” Reuter said. “I’m really proud of that.”
Reuter and her husband, Mike, who is the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk, have two sons and a grandson.
A graduate of Windsor High School, she attended Jefferson College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Colorado College and earned a law degree from St. Louis University.
State senators and representatives currently receive a $35,915 annual salary, plus mileage and $115 per day in expenses for each day the General Assembly is in session, but are in line to receive an $1,800 raise spread out over two years beginning in July.
Filing for the August primary election runs from Feb. 22 through March 29.
The winners of each party’s primary election will face each other in the November general election.