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Kaitlin Cavey launches HD 83 bid with eyes on the future

Kaitlin Cavey is focused on the future. 

When she talks about the future, Cavey not only has her four-year-old son in mind, but also those who live in HD 83. The 28-year-old has officially launched her campaign for term-limited Rep. Gina Mitten’s seat for 2020. 

“Missourians have suffered for too long under political leadership that flatly refuses to put the interests of their constituents first,” Cavey said when she announced her campaign. “My neighbors deserve to have a representative in Jefferson City who will go to bat for them every single day.” 

Cavey, has nothing but praise for how Mitten, a Democrat, has represented HD 83 — but contends not every district has been so “lucky.” Through her former job with the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Cavey said she saw legislators who “weren’t necessarily representative of their constituents.” 

“What’s most important to me is building capacity for our future and enacting policies and working with legislators to ensure we’re setting up a great future for Missouri and for our children,” Cavey told The Missouri Times in an interview. “As a mother, that’s my biggest priority — make sure my son grows up in the best environment possible and that the people of Missouri and the people in my district have that opportunity for themselves and their families.”

Although she’s running as a Democrat, Cavey has a message for Republicans in HD 83 as well.  

“I want to ensure we enact policies that are beneficial to our community, our region, our state as a whole,” she said. “That urban/rural divide, we’re really not that far apart, and we all want the same things, which is to be able to get up in the morning, go to a good job, put food on the table, and pay medical bills. I don’t think that’s a left or a right issue.” 

Cavey counts access to housing, “quality” education, and health care as the main issues plaguing HD 83. And she would like to see Missouri expand Medicaid. 

“I’m certainly pragmatic, and I realize being a Democrat in a supermajority Republican legislature is certainly going to involve a lot of collaboration and consensus building, and I think that’s something I’m particularly qualified to do given my background in business,” she said. 

Cavey recently started a new job as the statewide field coordinator for PROMO, an LGBTQ advocacy organization in Missouri. She previously worked as the manager of advocacy and member engagement for the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce. She began her career in retail bank management and sales. 

Originally from Cape Girardeau, Cavey holds degrees in economics and philosophy from Southeast Missouri State University. She lives with her fiancé, son, and a “bevy of houseplants” in HD 83. 

Cavey said she has spoken with Mitten about her campaign, and the pair had a “great conversation.” Mitten did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Missouri Times.