Democrat enters St. Louis suburbs Congressional race, raises $230,000 in a day
Democratic state Sen. Jill Schupp officially jumped into the race to challenge Republican Rep. Ann Wagner in the St. Louis-area Congressional district on Wednesday.
Within 24 hours, her campaign says she raised $230,000.
Democrats are seizing on the fundraising haul to argue that the suburban district, which Wagner held in 2018 by roughly 15,000 votes, is up for grabs.
“It’s clear that Missourians are fed up with partisan politics and business as usual in Washington,” Schupp, 64, said in an emailed statement about the fundraising totals.
Wagner, 57, who has represented the district since 2013, has proven to be a formidable candidate and fundraiser. She has already amassed nearly $2.2 million for her 2020 campaign.
But Democrats believe they are making inroads with suburban voters who have soured on President Donald Trump. They note that Wagner was narrowly re-elected last year despite Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill actually carrying the district while losing statewide to Republican Josh Hawley.
More recently, last month Democrat Trish Gunby won a state House seat in the district that has been a GOP stronghold for years.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee includes Wagner on its list of Republicans the organization would target in 2020.
In an interview with The Star about her newly launched campaign, Schupp painted Wagner as a Washington insider and tool of special interests.
“Special interests have plenty of lobbyists in Washington,” she said, “it’s time my neighbors finally have someone fighting for them.”
Bob Salera, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Schupp is the Democratic front runner because “no one else wanted to be their sacrificial lamb in the 2nd District.”
“Schupp’s enthusiasm for the Democrats’ socialist agenda makes her unelectable,” Salera said.
This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Democrat enters St. Louis suburbs Congressional race, raises $230,000 in a day."
