Driving It Home with Patti VasquezPatti Vasquez and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Jess Piper, the Dirt Road Dem and executive director of Blue Missouri.
The discussion focused on Missouri midterm election gains and ways to build sustained grassroots engagement. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- Piper described Democratic gains in Missouri, including Democrats flipping 16 state House seats and breaking Republican supermajorities in both chambers.
- She said state and local candidates’ work helped strengthen higher-profile campaigns and challenged the effects of redistricting.
- She emphasized investing in down-ballot races, local organizing, and smaller recurring contributions to build long-term political capacity.
- She said breaking the supermajority gives Democrats a stronger voice, though Republicans can still pass legislation without Democratic support.
- Patti, Ken and Jess discussed making state and local politics more accessible through visits to legislators and social gatherings that bring community members together.
- They also discussed ranked-choice voting as a way to address concerns about votes for independent candidates being wasted.
Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).
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