House Minority Leader Crystal Quade announced her candidacy for governor over the weekend, jumping into the open race to replace Gov. Mike Parson who is term-limited.
In her introductory campaign video, Quade talks about her life growing up with a single mother but also includes an attack at the Republican frontrunner, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.
“I want this campaign to be about pocketbook issues. I want this campaign to be about our plans to strengthen our public schools, to make all healthcare more affordable and accessible, and how to get better child care in every corner of our state. I want this campaign to be about protecting Missouri farmland, our environment, and our state’s natural beauty. I want this campaign to be about how to best address our challenges as a state. Too many people feel unsafe and fear crime in their communities. We rank last in too many categories like teacher pay and maternal mortality and we have some of the highest crime rates in the nation,” Quade said when asked about her campaign.
Quade represents HD-132, which encompasses parts of Greene County, specifically parts of Springfield. She was first elected to the House in 2016. Before serving in the General Assembly, Quade worked for various organizations including Care to Learn, Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, and Organizing for America.
She has served as the House Minority Leader since 2019, becoming a prominent voice in the Democrat Party in Missouri. Under Quade’s leadership, Democrats have slowly been flipping House seats, picking up three in the 2022 midterms.
But Democrats have still struggled in the state with Republicans controlling the House, the Senate, and all statewide offices.
A Democrat has not served as governor since 2017, when Jay Nixon left office due to term limits.
Now, Quade is joining the race for governor in 2024. No other Democrats have announced their run, but Quade will run against the winner of a competitive Republican primary.
“After Missourians voted to expand Medicaid, Republicans attempted to strip funding away. With access to abortion, birth control, and our reproductive rights expected to be on the ballot next year – as well as wage increases and earned sick leave – they will try their tricks again. It won’t work. Missourians want freedom. The freedom to make our own decisions. The freedom to choose a future for our families. Make no mistake, freedom is on the ballot in this election. As Governor, I’ll do everything in my power to return the freedoms that have been stripped from every Missourian,” Quade said.
Ashcroft, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe, and State Sen. Bill Eigel are all running on the Republican ticket.
Kehoe responded to Quade’s video and accompanying tweet with a tweet of his own, stating that “I never met my dad, and my single mom worked three jobs to raise six kids. We had no money. I didn’t make excuses. My siblings and I had to work hard to support my mom and we earned the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. That’s the great thing about our country that the progressive left wants to destroy.”
Eigel also responded with a tweet criticizing both Quade and Kehoe, stating that “Honestly, Mike Kehoe is quite close to you in policy. You both support higher taxes. You both support woke LGBTQ takeover of Gov and culture. Mike Kehoe vs Crystal Quade in a Dem primary would be a real contest.”
The race is likely to grow with over eight months left before the March 26 filing deadline.
