Credited to: Talibdin “TD” El-Amin
There was a time not long ago when Democrats in Missouri doubted whether the state had the African-American political talent capable of competing in a statewide race. Those days are over. Today’s question is simpler: will Missouri Democrats decide to seriously invest in one of those candidates?
There are a handful of options who have attained statewide or national visibility, developed résumés of executive experience, and generated enough political juice to raise serious capital. Any qualified list has to begin with Missouri’s two biggest cities: St. Louis and Kansas City.
St. Louis has never lacked for African-American political talent, but the talent pool has historically been narrow and plagued by intraparty division and lack of investment from statewide Democrats. Kansas City, meanwhile, has quietly assembled a track record of population growth, executive accomplishments, and national profile that demands its own evaluation.
Measured against the metrics described above, there’s one name that’s difficult to ignore: Quinton Lucas.
Kansas City Mayor Lucas has risen rapidly to become one of Missouri’s best known Democrats, most recently winning election to a national stage as president of the National Black Mayors Association. Lucas has used that platform to raise his profile on cable news networks as a spokesperson on issues ranging from urban infrastructure to policing to economic development. Coupled with Kansas City’s own ascendance as a metropolitan area—and Lucas’ own political track record—places him in the conversation for any future statewide bid, be it for Governor or Missouri’s open U.S. Senate seat.
The former city councilman has already built much of the resume you’d want from a Missouri Democrat: Ivy League-educated (Washington University in St. Louis and Cornell Law School), business experience, and a record of enacting meaningful policy changes that both combat longstanding inequities and promote economic opportunity. Lucas has shepherded downtown development and invested in neighborhood revitalization, led citywide infrastructure improvements, expanded access to affordable housing, and positioned Kansas City to compete for major business and tourism opportunities, including professional sports franchises. He has done so while maintaining the ability to speak directly to the concerns of core Democratic voters without frightening away moderates—a tightrope most statewide Democrats can’t walk.
Plus, while there’s high probability Missouri will lean Republican in the election results to come, don’t write off statewide Democratic gains just yet. Odds are against it, but Trump’s favorability has been spiraling nationally at the same time that his numbers remain deeply underwater in statewide Missouri polling. Additionally, GOP electoral performance in suburbs and exurban areas across Missouri has shown signs of softening over the last six years. Republican strongholds like Texas are showing vulnerabilities at the local level and in congressional districts that were previously considered safe and should give some hope to Democrats.
If these trends continue into 2026 and 28 (and Democrats do in fact turn blue in November) we could be looking at a very Democrats-friendly electoral landscape in Missouri. But that opportunity will mean nothing if Democrats aren’t willing to seriously invest in African-American statewide candidates.
To be clear, African-American Democrats—especially in urban areas like St. Louis—are tired of talking about candidates. They want to see action. Apologies for low turnout and engagement won’t cut it. Neither blaming voters because the Democratic party often times yield an unexcitable bench of candidates that aren’t always inclusive and representative of the degree of support given to have carried the Democrats for so long. Voters because are awakening and understanding the value of their historical loyalty and the weight it caries Statewide Democrats have to be careful not to further alienate an important subset of their own coalition and seriously engaged at every level of planning, selection and execution of policies and position.
An A-list candidate with Lucas’ profile would send a powerful message to African-American voters that statewide Democrats are serious about changing the narrative. More importantly, it would show voters that they mean what they say when they talk about cultivating diversity and backing candidates that reflect Missouri’s demographics. Talk is cheap. Investments in fundraising, field, and messaging aren’t.
Right now, there are too many unknowns about how national Republican polling trends will impact Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, whose reelection is November 2028 and countless other down-ballot Republicans. Will suburban shifts continue? Will Trump drag the party down with him, or will traditional Republicans distance themselves early enough to avoid damage at the polls? Can any Democrat overcome Kehoe’s incumbency? Or national profiles of incumbent junior senators, Eric Schmitt whose reelection is in 2028 and Josh Hawley whose reelection is 2030. All of these questions and more have clear answers somewhere between now and then, but they will also have major consequences for how competitive Missouri really is. But with no uncertainty the time to have and be included in the conversation is now.
Until we know for certain, my eyes will be on Mayor Lucas. Will Missouri Democrats make a serious investment in him if he chooses to put forth his candidacy? Time will tell!
