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Politically Speaking: On pre-existing conditions, St. Louis County turnout and Kander’s decision

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander greets supporters as they welcome him to the stage at The Pageant on Oct. 28, 2016.
Carolina Hidalgo | St. Louis Public Radio
Then-Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander greets supporters as they welcome him to the stage at The Pageant on Oct. 28, 2016.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies look at three things playing a big role in Missouri’s 2018 election cycle.

The first is debate over pre-existing conditions between U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and her GOP opponent Josh Hawley. It stems from Hawley’s decision to be a part of a lawsuit seeking to upend the Affordable Care Act.

McCaskill made health care a signature issue of her re-election campaign long before it became a trend among other Democratic candidate running in states where President Donald Trump is reasonably popular.

Mannies and Rosenbaum also discuss the importance of turnout, and Democratic unity, in St. Louis County for candidates like McCaskill. They also reflect on former Secretary of State Jason Kander’s decision to bow out of the Kansas City mayor’s race to seek treatment for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Follow Jason on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Jo on Twitter: @jmannies

Music: “Serpents” by Sharon Van Etten

Jason is the politics correspondent for St. Louis Public Radio.
Jo Mannies is a freelance journalist and former political reporter at St. Louis Public Radio.