September 4, 2026
September 4 Issue of the Week: I Stand with Working People
Summary
It’s Labor Day weekend- a holiday to celebrate and support the workers in our community who give so much of themselves each day. I am incredibly proud to have the endorsements of these Labor Unions: UAW 249, AIFF Greater Kansas City Local 42, Missouri AFL-CIO, LiUNA Missouri and Kansas Laborers District Council.
Why would they endorse a challenger versus an incumbent? While I support Labor Unions missions to make sure workers are treated fairly, they also know my opponent and the incumbent in this race, is no friend to working people.
Why is it so incredibly important to support working people and unions right now
Life Was Not Good Before Unions:
There are things that have been around so long we have long forgotten how hard we had to work to get them and take them for granted. 40-hour work weeks. Safe working conditions. Minimum wage. Collective bargaining. Sick leave. Benefits. Equal pay for equal work.
These are just a very few things that most of us look at and go, “Of course those things are important to keeping a strong, functioning work force and thriving safe community.”
It was less than 100 years ago that many of these things were fought for. But believe it or not, some people, including my opponent, would be just fine turning back the clock on these rights as they think America was “great” when only the corporation got to decide what rights the worker had.
Another fact many don’t think of is that the work of Unions doesn’t just benefit Union Members. The things Unions fight for (like above) end up spilling into the entire workforce over time- especially when they are good ideas. Without the protections collective bargaining offers, it’s too easy for corporations to put short term profits ahead of the needs of their workers because they can just replace an expendable worker with another one.
The best Unions often develop strong working relationships with corporate and government leaders (and vice versa) to find common ground and make win-win solutions. Those strong relationships can be built when both are supported and respected and want those win-wins. They are built when workers’ rights laws are protected.
And long term this helps our democracy and capitalistic society stay stable and good for all people- not just the richest of us.
Key 33 Details – Show Me 33
In the state of Missouri when issues for workers’ rights are brought to the vote of the people, they win repeatedly.
I think that is why Amendment 4, that my opponent fully supported, went down in such a disastrous vote (over 80% voted against it). As you know, Amendment 4 would have made it incredibly challenging to pass workers’ rights laws (or any laws), because if any single voting district voted against it, it would fail- even if the vast majority of Missourians were for it.
However, what I find interesting is often there seems to be a disconnect for voters. They vote for safe and fair labor laws, but then they vote for candidates who do not support those same laws. And in the case of my opponent, they vote for someone who is actively trying to weaken or destroy those workers’ rights laws.
Many times, it’s because the elected official says one thing to voters, then actively works to do the opposite, hoping the voters just don’t notice. They count on voters being busy and use slogans to create complex financial or legislative webs to make it hard to find the truth.
Take the history of “Right to Work” in Missouri. “Right to Work” is one of the most misnamed political slogans of all time. It is not in fact a right for a worker to work, but instead laws enacted to prevent workers’ most basic rights and collective bargaining against their large corporate employers. A fairer slogan would be “You have the right to show up, we set all the conditions after that, and you have no way to fight back.”
In 2017, the State Legislature passed “Right to Work” and then Governor Greitens (look him up if you can’t remember how corrupt he was) signed it. However, voters (with Unions leading the way) got to work and passed Proposition A the very next year, overturning this legislation.
Here again is that disconnect. Missouri voters decisively defeated bad legislation at the polls. But then voters were fed slogans, lack of transparency, and in many cases, lies. And sent the very people trying to undermine workers back to Jeff City.
Slogans, lack of transparency, and in many cases, lies.
I’m running to help stop that cycle – and fight for workers’ rights.
A Better Path Forward & Conclusion
What’s a voter who cares about workers right do? Trust Union Leaders to let you know by looking for their endorsement.
I am proud to receive the endorsements of these great Unions. I hope to earn their members votes as well. While my hope at the beginning of my campaign was to knock on every door so I could find all the Union members in my district, shake their hand and talk to them, time has not made that possible.
If you are a proud Union member, or know one, please share my support for workers rights. Please ask them to subscribe to this newsletter, follow me on social media, or reach out to find an opportunity to chat with me so I can share my views and support.
Strong labor is good for the 33rd District, and it’s good for Missouri.