Author: Mark Holguin

Darren Bailey, the former Republican Illinois gubernatorial candidate, is banking on his deeply conservative values and unwillingness to sacrifice them to propel him to victory against U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in the 12th District primary next month.

“As a Republican — and as a conservative Republican — I cannot compromise my values,” Bailey said on the Politically Speaking podcast.

Bailey, R-Xenia, believes it’s time for change in Washington, and he’s cast his opponent, a five-term congressman, as a political insider.

The 12th Congressional District spans the southern third of the state and includes parts of the Metro East like O’Fallon and Scott Air Force Base. Whoever wins the Republican primary will be highly favored in November in the conservative district.

While both candidates share numerous similarities in policy positions, Bailey, a Clay County farmer, believes Bost is not conservative enough. Bailey points to Bost’s membership in the U.S. House Main Street Caucus, a group of “pragmatic conservatives,” according to the group’s website.

“I love the work that the House Freedom Caucus is doing,” Bailey said, referring to a group of the most conservative GOP representatives.

Bailey said security on the U.S.-Mexico border would be his top issue if elected. Last week, Bailey visited the southern border.

“No. 1 priority is closing our border and making sure that we are secure with the millions of people who have come undocumented into our country,” he said.

A recent bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Senate, which tied border security to funding for Ukraine and Israel, did not pass the Senate and appears likely to do so in the House. Bailey said he wouldn’t have supported it because it addresses too much.

“I’m going to fight like crazy for single-issue bills,” he said.

Before discussing funding Ukraine’s defense against the Russian offensive, Bailey said Congress needs to act on the border.

Both Republicans are banking on their support of former President Donald Trump in this race, believing that will help them clinch the nomination. Bailey said he last spoke to Trump in December.

“Yes, we did talk about the endorsement,” Bailey said. “We are definitely on his radar.”

Trump has yet to make an endorsement in the race but endorsed Bailey in his failed attempt to the governor’s office and Bost in previous reelection campaigns.

Bailey currently holds endorsements from fellow Illinois Republican Mary Miller and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, who will be campaigning for Bailey this week in Herrin, Illinois.

Illinois early voting has begun, and election day is March 19.

Bost’s appearance on Politically Speaking is scheduled to air Tuesday.

Darren Bailey, the former Republican Illinois gubernatorial candidate, is banking on his deeply conservative values and unwillingness to sacrifice them to propel him to victory against U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in the 12th District primary next month.

“As a Republican — and as a conservative Republican — I cannot compromise my values,” Bailey said on the Politically Speaking podcast.

Bailey, R-Xenia, believes it’s time for change in Washington, and he’s cast his opponent, a five-term congressman, as a political insider.

The 12th Congressional District spans the southern third of the state and includes parts of the Metro East like O’Fallon and Scott Air Force Base. Whoever wins the Republican primary will be highly favored in November in the conservative district.

While both candidates share numerous similarities in policy positions, Bailey, a Clay County farmer, believes Bost is not conservative enough. Bailey points to Bost’s membership in the U.S. House Main Street Caucus, a group of “pragmatic conservatives,” according to the group’s website.

“I love the work that the House Freedom Caucus is doing,” Bailey said, referring to a group of the most conservative GOP representatives.

Bailey said security on the U.S.-Mexico border would be his top issue if elected. Last week, Bailey visited the southern border.

“No. 1 priority is closing our border and making sure that we are secure with the millions of people who have come undocumented into our country,” he said.

A recent bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Senate, which tied border security to funding for Ukraine and Israel, did not pass the Senate and appears likely to do so in the House. Bailey said he wouldn’t have supported it because it addresses too much.

“I’m going to fight like crazy for single-issue bills,” he said.

Before discussing funding Ukraine’s defense against the Russian offensive, Bailey said Congress needs to act on the border.

Both Republicans are banking on their support of former President Donald Trump in this race, believing that will help them clinch the nomination. Bailey said he last spoke to Trump in December.

“Yes, we did talk about the endorsement,” Bailey said. “We are definitely on his radar.”

Trump has yet to make an endorsement in the race but endorsed Bailey in his failed attempt to the governor’s office and Bost in previous reelection campaigns.

Bailey currently holds endorsements from fellow Illinois Republican Mary Miller and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, who will be campaigning for Bailey this week in Herrin, Illinois.

Illinois early voting has begun, and election day is March 19.

Bost’s appearance on Politically Speaking is scheduled to air Tuesday.

Democratic state Rep. Kathy Steinhoff is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where she spoke about education legislation, including her opposition to a bill that would provide open school enrollment statewide.

That plan recently passed the House and now moves to the Senate.

The freshman lawmaker and former teacher was first elected to her post in 2022, representing a district that includes a portion of the city of Columbia.

Here’s what Steinhoff talked about during the show:

• Her journey from the classroom to the Missouri General Assembly.
• Her opposition to efforts to bar transgender students from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. 
• Her take on whether lawmakers will be able to pass a bill reauthorizing the Federal Reimbursement Allowance. That’s a tax paid by hospitals that helps fund the state’s Medicaid program.

Steinhoff spent 34 years teaching in Columbia. She also was president of the Columbia NEA and was heavily involved in negotiating union contracts.

When state Rep. Martha Stevens declined to run for reelection, Steinhoff entered the race to succeed her in Missouri’s 45th District. She ran unopposed in the primary and general election.

Steinhoff serves on the House Budget, Elementary and Secondary Education and Pensions committees.

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where the Arnold Republican spoke about her decision to run for Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District seat.

U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer announced his retirement earlier this month. The district includes parts of Jefferson, St. Charles, Cole, Boone, Callaway and Warren counties.

Here’s what Coleman talked about on Politically Speaking:

• She said she was well positioned in a potentially crowded primary, adding, “When you look at my record, you see that nobody can get to my right.”
• Coleman criticized the way President Joe Biden and Congress have provided military assistance to Ukraine, saying that it doesn’t make sense to give the beleaguered country billions of dollars instead of spending that money on U.S. border security.
• Why she would vote for support for Israel’s war in Gaza. She also addressed questions about whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was too toxic to warrant support from Congress.
• How she would change the country’s immigration policies and whether any plan should include helping boost the economic fortunes of Latin American countries.

Coleman is an attorney who previously served on the Arnold City Council. In 2018, she prevailed in one of the most-watched House contests of the year against Democrat Mike Revis. He had flipped a seat that had previously been held by a Republican.
Her win guaranteed that every state legislative seat that covers Jefferson County would be represented by a Republican. Until relatively recently, Jefferson County residents had historically preferred Democratic candidates.

Coleman won election to the 22nd Senate District in 2022. Like several other potential 3rd District contenders in the Missouri Senate, Coleman can run for Congress this year without vacating her state legislative seat.

St. Louis Public Radio plans to talk with the major Republican and Democratic candidates running for the seat.