SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Democratic candidate Crystal Quade held her first event since announcing her run for governor in her hometown Monday morning.
Quade, who represents Springfield, is the first Democratic candidate to throw her hat into the race. She was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in November 2016 and was later elected by her caucus to serve as the House Minority Floor Leader for the 100th General Assembly in 2019 and was re-elected in 2021 and 2023. She is in her last term as a state representative, serving eight years by the end of 2024.
“Missourians don’t need more of the same, doesn’t want more of the same,” Quade told a room full of supporters at a local coffee shop Monday. “I’m running for governor so that people who are working extra shifts today can make life better for those kids tomorrow.”
Quade was the first in her family to graduate high school and then went on to earn a degree in social work at Missouri State University. She is the former director of chapter services at Care to Learn, a nonprofit organization that addresses the health, hunger and hygiene needs of economically disadvantaged children. She previously worked for organizing for America and as a U.S. Senate constituent services representative.
“I went to Jefferson City, and I realized so quickly that people who are making laws don’t understand what regular life is like for Missourians,” Quade said.
The 37-year-old and mother of three says growing up in southwest Missouri, becoming a democratic leader and now a candidate for governor was never in her plan.
“Really, I just got to a point this legislative session with watching the chaos and the unproductivity that was going on in Jefferson City, you know the least amount of bills that we’ve passed in our recent history outside of COVID and realizing that I’ve had enough; that citizens have had enough,” Quade said.
In 2017, she was awarded the Springfield Business Journal’s “12 People You Need to Know” followed by being honored as one of Springfield’s Most Influential Women.
Quade told the room full of people she is running to bring reproductive rights back to Missourians and ban foreign ownership of farmland.
“We know the legislature is going to continue to attack our freedoms in the doctors’ offices, and so, it will be my job to veto things and try to strengthen that and provide a course that actually focuses on investing in Missourians.”
She said Monday it’s important to get an initiative petition on the ballot for next year, asking voters to roll back the state’s abortion ban by adding protections to the constitution.
“Missourians want freedom — the freedom to make our own decisions, the freedom to choose a future for our family,” Quade said. “Make no mistake: Freedom is on the ballot. We’re not going to shy away from this topic; even if it wasn’t on the ballot, it would a priority for me.”
After becoming the first state in the country to outlaw abortion following the overturning of Roe v. Wade last summer, there’s a chance Missouri voters could have a say in restoring abortion rights in the state.
Missouri’s ban only allows exceptions medical emergencies but not for rape or incest. Back in March, 11 petitions were filed with the secretary of state’s office to roll back Missouri’s ban on abortion by adding protections to the constitution.
The 11 versions of the proposed constitutional amendment to roll back Missouri’s ban on abortion was filed by a St. Louis doctor on behalf of a political action committee called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom. The proposals would change the constitution to say, “Government shall not infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom.”
Quade said she will continue to lead House Democrats while campaigning to lead Missouri.
“I’m a very liberal Democrat, but I also know my job is to represent the people who send me to Jefferson City, not necessarily what I stand for, but to hear them and to listen and to do my best to represent,” Quade said.
If elected, she would be the first female governor for the state of Missouri. In her campaign video released Sunday morning, she describes growing up with her parents working blue-collar jobs and knowing what it’s like for working-class Missourians.
In the video, Quade goes on to say she will fight to repeal the ban on abortions in Missouri and protect farmers by prohibiting China and Russia from owning farmland.
This past session, she advocated for childcare and gun reform, and against Republican priorities like initiative petition reform and anti-LGBTQ legislation.
Gov. Mike Parson is not seeking re-election because of term limits.
Quade will face off against the GOP nominee next November. Right now, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, will be on the August Primary ballot.