In Their Own Words: Crystal Quade, Democratic Candidate for Governor

OPINION|

My name is Crystal Quade and I am running for the next governor of Missouri.

Growing up in rural southwest Missouri, my family was like many others. My mother worked in diners, often double shifts, and I would often go there before or after school to wait for her to finish. My stepfather would drive almost an hour to his job in nearby Springfield to work in a factory. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate from high school, and then I worked my way through Missouri State University, where I earned a degree in social work.

I quickly learned that anything I wanted to do to help people was dictated by the government, so I applied for an internship in Jefferson City. I remember being so excited to see firsthand how “the sausage was made” and to work with elected officials in such a beautiful place.

I will never forget the feelings of disbelief and sadness I felt when I saw instead these posh people in their gold pins and fancy suits talking about working class families like mine with such contempt and disgust. It was devastating. I knew at that moment that our voices were missing and I would do everything I could to change that.

And honestly, if those people could get elected, so could I.

And I was right. In 2016, I ran for state representative. It wasn’t an easy race, in fact, I won the most contested state house race that year, becoming the only Democrat elected to either the House or Senate in the southern half of Missouri. I won by showing up and listening to what people needed. It didn’t matter what party you were, I wanted to know what you thought your state representative should be doing for you.

It turns out that the majority of voters want much of the same thing: They want our public schools funded, our teachers and staff paid competitive wages, their families to be able to go to the doctor without worrying about going bankrupt. I spoke to so many voters of all political parties that you could find my yard signs next to Donald Trump signs, not because we agreed on everything, but because we could agree on the issues that affected their daily lives.

It has been eight years since I represented District 132 and Springfield in the Legislature, and I have served six of those years as the Democratic House Minority Leader. It has been the honor of my life to serve the citizens of Springfield, but I know we deserve better than what we have seen from our top leaders.

We deserve a governor who is committed to making life easier for working Missourians, who wants to create an economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthiest among us. We deserve a governor who will work across the divide to find compromises to make child care more accessible and affordable, and we deserve a governor who will ensure that our children receive a world-class education, no matter where they live.

It’s high time Missouri gets leadership focused on solving the problems that are affecting Missouri families. For too long, politicians have focused more on restricting your rights, making decisions about your health care, than on addressing the epidemic of rural hospital closures — we’ve lost 18 in the last decade, drug prices are skyrocketing, and we have one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country.

As Governor, I will take on the insurance and pharmaceutical companies that make it difficult and expensive for families to get the care they need, and when Missouri voters restore abortion access and reproductive freedom to the Show-Me State, I will put my foot down and tell the extremists in Jefferson City that enough is enough. As the only candidate endorsed by Planned Parenthood, I have led the fight to restore abortion access since Missouri became the first state in the nation to pass an all-out ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. As Governor, I will end attacks on women and doctors, protect abortion and IVF, and get the government out of our doctors’ offices.

This year, Missourians have the opportunity to do so much good for our state. We can elect new leadership that focuses on working for the people, not lobbyists, corporations, or their well-connected friends. I am running for governor because parents who are working extra shifts today have children who will be defying the odds tomorrow. Together, we can make Missouri the best place to live, work, start a business, and raise a family.