Spencer Toder: Missouri deserves a US senator who realizes democracy is on the line
On Aug. 2, democracy is on the ballot. Full stop. Voting rights, the right to privacy, our bodily autonomy, our health and safety, our children’s education, the climate — every square inch of the fabric of our society is at risk.
With so much at stake, we can’t afford to sit this one out. We must make our voices heard.
Politics as usual has brought us to this point. Candidates guided by consultants and elected representatives beholden to lobbyists have created the us-versus-them narrative that is tearing Missouri apart. The same forces that created this division cannot heal it, no matter how much money they spend on television ads trying to convince you otherwise.
That is why my campaign rejected establishment principles and focused on building trust in the community. Votes cannot be bought. They must be earned. Over the last 15 months, I have worked to build trust with every person — Democrat and Republican, urban and rural, longtime voter and first-time voter. Because that is how we will win in November.
Along the way, we built a coalition of more than 500 enthusiastic volunteers who are working together to make a real and positive difference in the lives of our neighbors. Here’s just some of the impact we’ve made:
▪ We helped more than 10,000 people apply for Medicaid when our government failed them.
▪ We successfully worked to remove the accreditation of the abusive Agape Boarding School in Stockton.
▪ We organized the Rally For Freedom to demand the release of Kevin Strickland in Kansas City with the National Organization of Exonerees. Kevin was released from prison in November of 2021.
▪ We raised more than $53,000 for Afghan refugees to welcome those who helped our troops in Afghanistan to their new homes in our state.
▪ We helped more than 600 families sign up for the expanded Child Tax Credit, many of whom weren’t aware that they qualified for $300 a month per child.
▪ We launched an awareness program in early 2022 and helped more than 4,000 families save $30 each month by notifying them that they qualified for a subsidy for high-speed internet access through the federal Affordable Connectivity Program.
▪ We raised more than $100,000 to support abortion advocacy groups and providers in Missouri following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
The impact my campaign has made in the lives of Missourians is tangible. And it is more than just a way of campaigning. It demonstrates that when we do the work to care for one another, we can bridge divisive politics and make a real difference in our community.
That is the perspective I will take to the United States Senate. I will always work to unite Missouri and build a better future for our families. You will always know exactly where I stand, because you know exactly where I’ve always stood: right beside you, building a path that moves us forward.
There is urgent work to be done, and it will be accomplished when we put petty politics aside and stand up for one another.
During an 1899 speech in Philadelphia, Missouri U.S. Rep. Willard Duncan Vandiver said: “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”
We have a decision to make. We can continue to do the same thing we’ve always done and nominate a candidate who we hope will lead. Or we can elect a leader who has already shown us how to build a better tomorrow.
I will always proudly serve the people of Missouri. On Election Day, with democracy on the ballot, vote for your voice and our future.
Spencer Toder is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate for Missouri. He has worked in commercial real estate and medical technology.
