On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Ray Reed talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum about his bid to capture the Democratic nomination for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District seat.
The 25-year-old Reed is running against state Rep. Trish Gunby, D-St. Louis County, in the Aug. 2 election. Whoever wins that primary could face off against Congresswoman Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, who has served in Congress since 2013.
Gunby’s episode of Politically Speaking was posted last week. You can listen to it by clicking here.
Here’s what the candidate had to say during the show:
- Reed doesn’t believe that Democrats should give up on competing in the 2nd District because the legislature added Franklin and Warren Counties. “A lot of those folks out there in Franklin County, Warren County, the rural areas of the district — they feel hardly reached, they’re not hard to reach,” he said.
- It’s imperative, he said, that lawmakers get serious about regulating firearms, especially after a gunman killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Reed said he has a specific message to young people in school: “You deserve not to be shot in school. I’m sorry that a lot of elected officials want to do absolutely nothing. But I won’t stand on the side while 19 kids are being gunned down in a classroom.”
- Like Gunby, Reed is supportive of continuing to provide financial assistance to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
- He supports codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law, which would mean that abortion would be legal in every state if that 1973 decision is overturned. The Supreme Court could upend Roe in the coming weeks.
Reed is from Brentwood and currently resides in Chesterfield. He previously worked for Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s policy team and for the Missouri Democratic Party. He graduated from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
The Democratic primary for the 2nd District contest previously was a three-way race, but it became a race between Reed and Gunby after Ben Samuels announced his withdrawal earlier this spring.
Follow Sarah Kellogg on Twitter: @sarahkkellogg
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Ray Reed on Twitter: @RayReedMO
