Candidates in contested Boone County primary races share why they're running

The Aug. 6 primary is coming up and candidates in contested races are in the final push for selection as their respective party's candidate.

In Boone County, there are three contested primary races for county level and Missouri General Assembly positions. While there are other contested primaries for statewide governor's cabinet level positions and national representation on the ballot, the Tribune is focusing, for now, on contests for sheriff, Missouri House District 50 and Missouri House District 44.

Whoever wins these races will determine candidates for the Nov. 5 general election. The candidate who wins the Boone County sheriff primary is the presumptive winner of the general election, as there is not a challenger from another party.

Questions were sent late last week to candidates. These are their responses.

Boone County Sheriff

Incumbent candidate Dwayne Carey first was elected Boone County Sheriff in 2004 and is seeking a sixth term. He is running as a Democrat.

"Simply stated, I really enjoy my job and we have either just started or will be starting some great projects," Carey replied to a question about why he seeks another term. "Plus, we have a great group of employees that have become a second family to me and I am not ready to leave them."

Projects Carey noted include a training center, child care center and a new regional partnership with University of Missouri Extension and other Mid-Missouri law enforcement partners.

Carey notes over the last 20 years that Boone County voters have provided feedback on department operations, along with what comes from accrediting organizations, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and National Institute for Jail Operations. These accrediting organizations hold interviews with community stakeholders, Carey wrote.

"Some common words used to describe our agency during the accreditation process are 'exemplary, professional and elite,'" he wrote.

The Tribune also wanted to know how Carey would handle a hiring situation in which an applicant had a prior "use of force" complaint. He noted there are nuances when making employment determinations in that situation.

"Were the complaints investigated? Were they excessive use of force complaints? Were they substantiated? ... There are a lot of those questions that would need to be answered. Also, not everyone we hire has worked in the law enforcement and/or correction fields," he wrote.

Even so, Carey noted department staff try to "turn over every rock" and look for any red flags in an applicant's past.

"Our hiring process is lengthy with an extensive background investigation," he wrote. "We are looking for candidates that fit our expectations and our culture. ... I would tell you substantiated, improper and/or excessive use of force incidents would indeed influence hiring decisions, i.e. meaning we would continue to search for the right applicant."

If Carey is elected, he expects things will be business as usual on Jan. 1, including all the projects either started or in the works.

"(It) will be no different than today or any other day for me," he wrote.

Carey again faces a challenger in Charles Blair, who is a former department deputy. Blair challenged Carey as a Republican in 2000, but now is running as a Democrat.

"Whiley I previously identified as a Republican, I've come to realize that the Democratic Party's platform and principles are more closely aligned with my vision for effective, equitable and compassionate law enforcement," Blair wrote about the change in party affiliation.

It is not a decision he made lightly either, he added, but the result of "a thoughtful and introspective process, where I carefully examined my core values, beliefs and policy positions that I felt would best serve the needs of the community."

He noted he is not "abandoning my principles or core beliefs," but his party-affiliation change reflects an "evolving understanding of the challenges facing our community and my conviction that the Democratic Party's approach to public safety and social justice is better suited to addressing those challenges."

If elected, Blair wants to bring more community-based policing to the department, including the creation of a civilian review board, akin to the City of Columbia's Citizens Police Review Board. While the department is responding to all calls, he would like to see consistency with response times.

He also will ask for a compliance audit from the Missouri state auditor's office the first day on the job, if elected.

"I want to ensure the sheriff's department has been operating in compliance with the Missouri Constitution and Missouri law. I would request an audit include the department's spending and allocation of resources. The department has not published an annual report since 2016," Blair wrote.

The Tribune also wanted to know how Blair would handle a hiring situation in which an applicant has a prior use of force complaint. Blair agreed with Carey that if there were credible complaints, that applicant would no longer be considered.

"The applicant would be told the reason(s) why they were disqualified," Blair added. "The current process does not explain why an applicant is no longer being considered for employment. ... Without knowing the reason, the applicant cannot fix, correct or change what disqualified them."

Missouri House District 50

Two Democrats are running for their party's nomination for House District 50, currently held by Doug Mann, who opted not to seek reelection due to ongoing mental health concerns. Whoever wins in August will face off against Republican Joshua Ray Blakeman. The district covers the southern part of Columbia.

Jeff Basinger is partner at the Columbia law firm Cline, Braddock and Basinger, which practices family law, criminal law, estate planning, probate, personal injury and appeals.

"I am a lifelong Missouri resident and love our state. I do not want to see us become more extreme than all our neighbors in public education, reproductive rights, gun laws and most other issues," Basinger noted about his reason for running for office. "I want Missouri to be a place where people want to live, work, study and raise a family."

If Basinger is elected as the general election candidate and goes on to win that race, he "would like to be involved in bills that give child care tax credits, end the sales tax on food, prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and end gerrymandering."

Priorities he has heard from district potential constituents when canvassing include protections for public education, reproductive rights and health care access, among others. These align with Basinger's priorities, he noted.

"I have been advocating for years on those issues. I also have worked to increase government transparency and end the wasteful politicization of our Attorney General's office," he wrote.

Gregg Bush is a registered nurse, currently on leave from working at the University of Missouri Hospital, and previously ran for Columbia City Council.

In April 2023, Bush was unsure if he would run for office again, but Mann's announcement in October inspired the quick turnaround.

"My candidacy is the only public face of the work I've been doing in Columbia, but I also joined the Advocacy Institute of the Missouri Nurses Association and traveled down to the (Missouri) Capitol to advocate for health care, health care workers and our patients," he wrote.

Bush noted Columbia and Boone County is a health care oasis, where half of the top six Boone County employers are associated with health care, but a Columbia or Boone County health care professional has not served in the Missouri General Assembly for 30 years.

"Being a nurse means being a trained advocate and putting the needs of others in front of your own," Bush noted about his reasons for running.

He has heard from potential constituents the importance of schools and dismay at needless attacks on educators, on issues of workers' rights and frustration with divisiveness in Jefferson City.

"They want someone who know that legislation is a group effort and can be part of a coalition through building rapport. All of those things nurses are uniquely trained and qualified to do," Bush wrote.

Bush said there are too many bills he would like to introduce than he could count, but would put support behind bills that lessen the hamstrung state health system that drives providers away, along with bills that address the opioid epidemic, gun violence and child exploitation.

Missouri House District 44

Two Republicans aim to be their party's nomination for House District 44 which covers eastern Boone County from the Centralia area down to the Callaway County line near the Missouri River. The seat currently is held by Republican Cheri Toalson Reisch, who cannot run again due to term limits. She instead is running for the Boone County Commission's northern district. Whoever clinches the nomination will face off against Democrat Dave Raithel, who previously ran for the seat in 2022.

Bryce Beal, from Ashland and an assistant Missouri attorney general, believes "Missouri needs young conservative fighters who can get the state back on track," he wrote about his reason for running.

"I want to ensure that my newborn daughter has the same opportunities that I had, and I believe the best way for me to preserve the American dream for my children and future generations is by running for office," he wrote.

Beal wants to eliminate personal property tax in Missouri, increase county prosecutor responsibilities and accountability, and see an expansion of so-called school choice, which would include a parent's bill of rights, through bills he hopes to introduce.

When canvassing potential constituents, he says their top issues are the economy and illegal immigration, which align with Beal's priorities.

"Inflation has outpaced wages and most Missourians are now living paycheck to paycheck. ... Fentanyl is pouring across our border and overdoses mostly from its use are the leading cause of death of Missourians aged 18-45," he wrote.

John Martin is a Columbia businessman, who wants to be a "conservative voice for Boone County and provide common sense leadership," if elected, he wrote.

He wants to support the University of Missouri, its quality education and also wants to provide income tax relief to potential constituents.

He wants to do this through a 1% reduction each year until Missouri eliminates state income tax.

"This can be done while also funding priorities of law enforcement, infrastructure and education," he wrote.

When canvassing, Martin said he has heard the economy and inflation are potential constituent top priorities.

Martin had sought the 47th District seat in western Boone County but was defeated in November 2022 by Democrat Adrian Plank. Personal donations he made as of July 2023 to his candidate committee lists a Rocheport address, outside of House District 44, but his candidate address with the Missouri Ethics Commission puts him in northern Columbia and District 44. He explained the address discrepancy.

"I purchased a home in the 44th last year and moved to the 44th," he wrote.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on X, formerly Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.