A Democratic candidate with hopes of keeping northwest Springfield’s legislative district blue has entered the race to represent Missouri House District 132 in Jefferson City.
Jeremy Dean’s candidacy kicks off Saturday, Jan. 20, at Q Enoteca on Commercial Street, a few blocks from where House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield — who is terming out of the Missouri House of Representatives in 2024 — made her bid for governor official in November.
If he can win the Democratic primary in August, Dean hopes to keep the 132nd blue with an election win in November, and forward a focus on healthcare and housing in Jefferson City.
Who is Jeremy Dean?
A Springfield native, Dean graduated from Willard High School in 2015 before moving to Warrensburg to attend the University of Central Missouri, where he studied teaching, marketing and political science.
Health problems in his family brought Dean back to Springfield, where he worked in health care before taking a position with a Springfield nonprofit. Dean didn’t name the nonprofit in effort to avoid allowing partisan politics to, “get in the way of the organization’s ability to supply the resources and support to the community that it does.”
His experience in health care, including as an office coordinator at an OB/GYN clinic when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the United States Supreme Court, spurred Dean’s involvement in politics.
“The phone calls that we took, those days were devastating,” Dean said of the aftermath of the Dobbs decision. “A lot of them were out of fear.”
In 2023, Dean was a candidate for Springfield City Council General Seat C, losing to Callie Carroll with just less than 45% of the vote. Dean campaigned on keeping contracts and tax dollars in Springfield, and giving neighborhoods more say in development.
On the issues
Restoring abortion access, and “making sure that politicians aren't in between individuals, their doctors, and life saving health care” are among the pillars of Dean’s candidacy. He may campaign alongside an abortion-rights ballot issue that has yet to secure space on the ballot.
Providing “affordable and equitable” health care is also a focus for Dean, who said he wants to expand access and autonomy.
Dean also hopes to address affordability and access to housing — a carryover concern from his City Council campaign — in the Missouri General Assembly, a plight he said was prominent in District 132, which encompasses downtown and northwest Springfield.
On his campaign website, Dean also pushes for universal early childhood education, putting workers’ interests before special interests and fighting discrimination, among other issues.
Dean said he is ready to work across the aisle on some issues, but that he will remain steadfast in his positions on issues such as abortion access and LGBTQ+ rights.
“Whenever I get there, it's definitely going to be work, it's going to be difficult,” Dean said. “There'll be days that I probably feel extremely devastated and just absolutely beat up. But it's just remembering why I'm there.”
Particulars of the race to represent the 132nd
When Quade was first elected to represent District 132 in 2016, she was the only Democratic state representative in Springfield. She has since been joined in Jefferson City by Democrats Betsy Fogle and Stephanie Hein, who represent districts 134 and 136, respectively.
Ensuring the 132nd remains blue is a priority for Dean, who praised Quade’s work and hopes to protect and continue her efforts in the district.
“Protecting this district is vital, not only to making sure that that progress continues, and that we're able to get people the help and the support that they need from our governmental structure, but also just to keep the Democratic base excited and willing to work towards a better Springfield,” Dean said.
A spokesperson for Quade’s gubernatorial campaign said Quade has not yet made an endorsement for a potential successor in the Missouri House.
Stephanos Freeman, who unsuccessfully ran against Quade in 2022, is running on the Republican ticket.
Dean’s campaign had $1,435 on hand at the close of the January campaign finance reporting period. Kyler Sherman-Wilkins, a candidate for the Springfield Board of Education, is Dean’s campaign treasurer. Freeman does not currently have an active campaign finance committee.
Dean’s campaign kickoff is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 20 at Q Enoteca, located at 308 W. Commercial St. More information on Dean’s candidacy for state representative can be found on his campaign website.
