These 5 Democrats are vying for Missouri governor in primary election

Springfield is home to the two most highly organized and funded candidates in the Democratic primary for Missouri governor, making it likely one will reach the winner-takes-all November ballot.

Minority Floor Leader Crystal Quade has spent the past eight years representing a swath of Greene County in the Missouri House. Political newcomer Mike Hamra, president and CEO of Hamra Enterprises, is a Springfield business owner who has restaurants all over Missouri.

On Aug. 6, they will face Eric Morrison, a pastor in the Kansas City area, plus Hollis Laster and Sheryl Gladney, who reside in the St. Louis area, in the Democratic primary for the state's top office.

Quade, who has worked in the nonprofit sector, and Hamra have deep roots in southwest Missouri. Both have also forged meaningful connections — through politics or business — in other parts of the Show-Me State.

Of the five candidates in the Democratic primary for governor, Quade and Hamra have been the most active on the campaign trail. They have engaged voters through social media, campaign advertisement and in-person events and have stepped up those efforts going into the election.

Laster and Gladney do not have campaign websites and through April had reported little or no fundraising. They did not respond to requests for interviews.

The Democratic gubernatorial primary winner will face the winner of the Republican primary — with nine candidates — and Libertarian Bill Slantz in November.

Reaching voters across Missouri

In recent interviews with the News-Leader, Quade and Hamra were asked what steps they were taking to raise their profile for the August primary and, possibly, the November general election. They are working to reach voters who live in other parts of Missouri.

Quade stepped into the state spotlight as Minority Floor Leader, which provided "a platform to travel the state and be present in places I normally wouldn't have been and I'm really grateful for that."

"Along the campaign trail, we are going to every corner of the state," said Quade, who was traveling to an event in the northwest part of Missouri during the phone interview.

"We are going to places where Democrats don't normally show up and trying to get to know folks in communities throughout the state to be able to talk about the issues that matter to them."

Hamra said he's grown the family business from 26 locations to nearly 250 during his decades in charge, which has taken him all over Missouri.

"I've done business and worked with many of the local communities and officials in those different parts of the state, whether it was St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Moberly...Marshfield just up the road from us, Mount Vernon," Hamra said during an interview in Springfield.

"I have a strong network of relationships throughout the state of Missouri."

The News-Leader asked Morrison what steps he's taking to get his message to voters outside of Kansas City, where he is pastor of Kingdom Word Ministries and involved in the faith community and nonprofit work.

"I have the epitome of a grass roots campaign," Morrison said.

"We're not putting anything on TV or paying a gob of money to radio stations, anything of that nature so it's foot-soldiering. It's getting to those places, driving to those places."

Crystal Quade

Quade grew up in rural southwest Missouri and was the first in her family to graduate from high school. She worked her way through college.

"I have a perspective that everyday working class folks understand," she said. "Having that perspective in a position of power, making decisions for our state, is vitally important."

A former chapter services director for Care to Learn, she was first elected to the Missouri House in 2016 and was re-elected in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

As Minority Floor Leader, Quade said she build relationships "all over the political spectrum" in Jefferson City and gained valuable insight.

"We know that when a Democrat wins the governor's mansion in the fall that the Republicans are still going to retain control of the legislature," she said. "And my experience as the minority leader, the longest-service since term limits in that role, have proven that I can work across the aisle to get good things done.

Quade said there are many issues she cares about and will work for but the "absolute No. 1" is to make sure that the government is functioning properly.

"We need to make sure that our government is doing the things it promises to its citizens because we're getting dinged for Medicaid enrollment, folks go to the DMV and sometimes it takes well over an hour and those services need to be made efficient," she said.

Mike Hamra

For the past two decades, Hamra has been growing a family business by "making people our No. 1 priority." Today, the company employs 7,400 employees including 2,000 in Missouri.

Hamra said he's running to help families who are struggling to make ends meet.

"Politicians continue to play games and try to score political points instead of focusing on what really matters and that is the people in the state of Missouri," Hamra said. "If I'm governor, I'll be someone who sets aside partisan affiliations and work with anyone as long as it is in the best interest of the state."

He said the biggest issue right now is restoring a woman's right to abortion in Missouri. "I'll be a governor that will ensure that we protect those rights going forward."

Beyond that, Hamra said he wants to create an economy that "works for everyone." He said the role of the governor is to manage the state and make sure services are provided.

"I've served in an executive role to manage and support the services that we provide people and manage a complex business and the job of a governor is complex business," he said.

If elected, Hamra said he'll also work to lower health insurance and prescription costs for people and "making sure we do everything we can to support people in the state of Missouri to help them make ends meet."

Eric Morrison

A pastor for more than two decades, Morrison describes himself as a community servant and leader.

His church is part of a community food network and he works to provide back-to-school giveaways, educational programs and workforce training.

"I'm not part of the establishment. I am not a trained politician," he said.

"I'm a little more in tune with people's hearts."

Morrison said after veering into trouble in his teenage years and early adulthood, he found God and turned his life around at age 28. He said as a pastor he provided leaderships, helps his neighbors and "tends to those who are the least among us."

Morrison said closing the economic divide in Missouri between those who have enough and those who do not is a top priority. He wants to see more investment in education, especially in the early years.

"I have been called to do this and I love people and I love to see people's lives change and I'm not afraid of the frontline," he said.

If elected, Morrison said he will lead with transparency, fight voter suppression and stop food deserts, especially in low-income areas.

Who is running for Missouri governor?

There are 15 people running for Missouri governor in the Aug. 6 primary.

Democratic primary candidates include Sheryl Gladney, St. Charles; Mike Hamra, Springfield; Hollis Laster, Normandy; Eric Morrison, Lee's Summit; and Crystal Quade, Springfield.

Republican primary candidates include Jay Ashcroft, Bolivar; Bill Eigel, Weldon Spring; Darren Grant, Maryland Heights; Jeremy Gundel, Washburn; Mike Kehoe, St. Louis; Darrell Leon McClanahan III, Milo; Robert James Olson, Springfield; Amber Thomsen, Hollister; and Chris Wright, Joplin.

Libertarian primary candidate is Bill Slantz, St. Charles

Want to know more?

A look at the campaign websites or other online resource, if available, for the candidates running for Missouri governor.

• Jay Ashcroft, Republican: ashcroftformissouri.com
• Bill Eigel, Republican: billeigel.com
• Sheryl Gladney, Democrat: facebook.com/sheryl.gladney.5
• Darren Grant, Republican: None found.
• Jeremy Gundel, Republican: @JerGov2024 on X
• Mike Hamra, Democrat: hamraformo.com
• Mike Kehoe, Republican: mikekehoe.com
• Hollis Laster, Democrat: hollislaster4mo24.net
• Darrell Leon McClanahan III, Republican: darrell4gov.com
• Eric Morrison, Democrat: ericdmorrison.com
• Robert James Olson, Republican: @OlsonDared on X
• Bill Slantz, Libertarian: billslantz.com
• Amber Thomsen, Republican: facebook.com/ticket4freedom
• Crystal Quade, Democrat: crystalquade.com
• Chris Wright, Republican: chriswright4mogovernor.com

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: These 5 Democrats are vying for Missouri governor in primary election