Saint Louis, Mo. — Rep. Tommie Pierson will forgo serving a final term in Jefferson City to run for Lt. Governor in a primary that may become more crowded than expected.
Pierson, a Democrat from Bellefontaine Neighbors, is also a senior pastor at Greater St. Mark Family Church, a house of worship that served as a significant haven during the Ferguson unrest last year. It was an official sanctuary for protestors, and the sight of at least one of Gov. Jay Nixon’s earliest press conferences.
Missouri has never elected a black official to a statewide post, something Pierson is keenly aware of as he steps into a primary with at least one self-funding Democrat already knee-deep into the campaign. Springfield doctor and attorney Brad Bradshaw has already raised hefty sums since his announcement months ago.
Pierson’s path to victory in a primary may still be foggy, but it’s nothing compared to the mystery of a general election. With incumbent Lt. Governor Peter Kinder still privately weighing another run for governor in 2016 and former Missouri Club for Growth Chairman Bev Randles lining up on the Republican side, the ticket for 2016 is far from decided.
Kinder is a three-term Lt. Governor and the longest running in state history. Should Kinder decide to leap into a gubernatorial primary against former House Speaker Catherine Hanaway, Sen. Mike Parson, and former state rep. Randy Asbury, it’s likely primaries on both sides of the Lt. Gov. race would quickly crowd up even further.
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
