Mallory Herrmann
citydesk@lstribune.net

The Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce hosted a general election candidate forum this week, giving those running for the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate a chance to introduce themselves to a public audience and to answer questions about prominent issues this election season.

Candidates were given 60 seconds to respond to broad questions regarding the Clean Missouri initiative, Medicaid expansion, gun control, medical marijuana, and charter schools. Answers largely fell along party lines, with republican candidates against issues like Clean Missouri, medical marijuana and gun control, and democratic candidates in support.

Many candidates spoke of the need for integrity, particularly in the face of a divisive election year, and thanked the chamber for organizing the event and for members of the community who came to the event or watched on Facebook. Though some technical difficulties delayed the scheduled livestream, the chamber shared video of the event through their Facebook page. The full video can be found online at www.facebook.com/lsummitchamber.

The two-hour forum was held at the Missouri Innovation Campus on Oct. 10. State representatives and senators will be elected on Nov. 6.

District 30
Brad Eichstadt – Libertarian
Ryana Parks-Shaw – Democrat
Jon Patterson – Republican

District 31
Travis Hagewood – Democrat
Dan Stacy – Republican

District 34
Jim Ripley – Democrat
Rebecca Roeber – Republican

District 35
Keri Ingle – Democrat
Tom Lovell – Republican

Senate District 8
Mike Cierpiot – Republican
Hillary Shields – Democrat