St. Louis City Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler was elected the new chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party Saturday.
“Democrats across the state will continue to work to move Missouri into the future. I am excited to lead the over 1 million Missouri Democrats for the coming years in our journey to improve life for all Missourians,” Butler said in a statement.
Butler was chosen by members of the Missouri Democratic Party State Committee for the 2020-2022 term Saturday. Genevieve Williams was elected vice-chair of the party.
“I know the road ahead [is] long and arduous but our team knows that work well,” Williams said on social media. “We are moving forward together and I hope to count each of you as members of this team.”
The pair replaces Jean Peters Baker and Clem Smith, the latter who served as the acting chair earlier this year after Baker, the Jackson County prosecutor, stepped down due to changes in both positions.
Butler is a former state representative for HD 79 who was elected to the recorder of deeds position in August 2018. He has worked in both chambers of the Capitol for members and is a former educator in the St. Louis Public School System.
The Democratic Party also elected Manny Abarca IV as secretary and re-elected Cydney Mayfield as treasurer. All 68 members of the Missouri Democratic Party State Committee voted Saturday, a spokesman said.
Congratulations flowed in on social media following the election, including from Missouri Republican Party Executive Director Jean Evans. The GOP holds its leadership elections next month.
Congratulations to my former colleague @MikeButlerSTL.
— Jean Evans (@mojeanevans) December 12, 2020
Delighted to hear @MikeButlerSTL has been elected the Missouri Democratic Party’s next chairperson. An excellent choice to lead us forward and take our state back!
— Scott Sifton (@ScottSifton) December 12, 2020
@MikeButlerSTL congratulations to my predecessor and friend on becoming the next Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party! #MODems #MOLeg
— Rep. LaKeySha Bosley (@TeamBosleyMO79) December 12, 2020
Congratulations to @MikeButlerSTL for becoming the next chair of the @MoDemParty!
— Crystal Quade (@crystal_quade) December 12, 2020
Congrats to the new Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party @MikeButlerSTL! https://t.co/LsZQLv9r4n
— Stephen Webber (@s_webber) December 12, 2020
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
