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Politically Speaking: Rep. Curtis on his big political win — and a proposed tobacco tax

Courtney Curtis
Jason Rosenbaum | St. Louis Public Radio
Courtney Curtis

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum is joined by colleague Stephanie Lecci and St. Louis American reporter Rebecca Rivas. The trio welcomed state Rep. Courtney Curtis to the show for the first time.

The Ferguson Democrat won a competitive primary last week for re-election. Because winning the Democratic primary in his north St. Louis County-based district is tantamount to election, Curtis will likely get to serve a third term in the Missouri House after 2017.

Curtis is a McCluer Senior High School graduate who attended the University of Missouri-Columbia and Columbia College. He first won election to the Missouri House in 2012, when he defeated Democrat Doug Clemens in a district that was without an incumbent due to redistricting. 

As one of several Missouri House members who represent part of Ferguson, Curtis’ profile expanded after the shooting death of Michael Brown in August 2014. He was a key member of the Fannie Lou Hamer Coalition,a group of black north St. Louis County officials that backed Republican Rick Stream over Democrat Steve Stenger in the 2014 race for St. Louis County executive.

Curtis made waves at the beginning of the 2015 legislative session over his sponsorship oflegislation implementing “right to work” for construction unions. He was the only Democratlast year to vote to override right to work,which would no longer require people who work for a unionized entity to pay dues as a condition of employment.

Here’s what Curtis had to say during the show:

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Stephanie Lecci on Twitter: @stephlecci

Follow Rebecca Rivas on Twitter:@rebeccarivas

Follow Courtney Curtis on Twitter: @curtisformo

Music: “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son” by Wolf Parade

Jason is the politics correspondent for St. Louis Public Radio.