Politically Speaking

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Ray Reed (2026) Jan 27, 2026

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On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Missouri state Rep. Ray Reed talks about why his bill to require federal agents to identify themselves and not wear masks is needed. While the chances of that bill passing in the GOP controlled legislature are small, Reed said it’s important to take a stand. “Everyone knows that Democrats have an uphill battle in Jefferson City, but that does not mean we don't continue to fight the good fight while we're there, using all the power we have,” Reed said.

Alex Riley Jan 25, 2026

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position from “day one.” Riley is expected to ascend to the House Speaker post in 2027, especially since the GOP is widely expected to have a continued majority after the 2026 election. As speaker, Riley will have the ability to form committees and decide where certain bills go for hearings. “That's where you have the most ability to impact change and do positive things for the state,” Riley said during a recent interview on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air. “So it's definitely something I was interested in. I didn't necessarily know for sure that that was going to all work out that way. But I was interested in it.”

Will Missouri love Mike Kehoe's income tax phase out plan? Jan 23, 2026

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On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum talks with Missouri Sen. Ben Brown about why the state should eliminate the income tax. He also discussed Sens. Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley's views on taking over Greenland with WashU's Steven Smith. And at the end of the show, Rosenbaum spoke with future Missouri House Speaker Alex Riley about the 2026 legislative session.

Shane Cohn (2026) Jan 16, 2026

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St. Louis' 3rd Ward alderman joins host Rachel Lippmann to talk lessons learned, incentives and municipal consolidation.

Dylan Blaha Jan 15, 2026

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Blaha will need to overcome a massive fundraising disadvantage to beat U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski for Illinois' 13th Congressional District, the seat that represents much of the Metro East.

Nikki Budzinski (2026) Jan 13, 2026

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Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, is facing something she didn’t have in her first reelection bid two years ago: a primary challenger. Dylan Blaha, a progressive and an Illinois National Guard member, is aiming to beat Budzinski in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, which includes part of the Metro East.

Missouri's DSS director has a plan to pay child abuse investigators more Jan 09, 2026

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On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg preview the 2026 Missouri General Assembly session. Rosenbaum also talks with Department of Social Services director Jessica Bax about her first year on the job – and plan that could pay child abuse investigators more money.

Maggie Nurrenbern (2025) Dec 29, 2025

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Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern returns to Politically Speaking to discuss the upcoming 2026 legislative session. Nurrenbern speaks to St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum about a tougher budget process, what education policy she wants passed and her thoughts on the 2026 general election.

David Wasinger (2025) Dec 23, 2025

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On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Missouri Lt. Gov. David Wasinger talked about his desire to see the Senate’s rules change, which provoked a backlash among GOP officials earlier this year. Wasinger said lengthy filibusters often feature long-winded soliloquies that aren’t germane to legislation at hand and result in dysfunction. Wasinger conceded that he doesn’t have the power to compel senators to change their rules. “I don't have a magic wand where I can just unilaterally say, ‘Here are what the rules are going to be,’” he said. “I just simply threw that out as a topic of discussion.”

Whew ... 2025 was a lot in Missouri, Illinois and St. Louis politics Dec 22, 2025

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On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Politics Team counts down the top stories of 2025 in Missouri, Illinois and St. Louis politics. Let's just say... this year was definitely not boring.

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