Politically Speaking - Nikki Budzinski

On the latest episode of The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's politics team breaks down how the Blue Wave crashed into Missouri — and provided Missouri Democrats with a lot of optimism going into 2028. Guests include Congressman-elect Fred Wellman, Abortion Action Missouri's Mallory Schwarz and St. Louis County Executive-elect Jake Zimmerman.

On an election preview edition of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Politics Team break down what's at stake on Nov. 3 in Missouri, St. Louis and Illinois. In Missouri, several ballot initiatives could play a huge role in determining public policy on abortion — and the legislature's ability to overturn citizen initiatives.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Republican 1st District nominee Paul Berry III joins STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum to talk about his campaign for the St. Louis and St. Louis County-based district. Berry is running against Democratic Congressman Wesley Bell on Tuesday. He’s the underdog in the race, since the 1st District is the most Democratic congressional seat in the state. But he said that there’s value for the GOP to try and make inroads throughout the St. Louis region. “There's no training wheels,” Berry said. “We don't have 246 years for somebody to figure it out.”

Jeff Wilson talks about his campaign in Illinois' 13th Congressional District.

On the latest episode of “Politically Speaking,” state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick lays out his case that he should have a second term in office with STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg. “And my record, going all the way back to my time as a member of the House, has been that I'm not going to hit pause on criticizing what I view as mismanagement or bad decisions being made,” Fitzpatrick said. The state auditor’s race is the only Missouri statewide contest on the ballot in 2026. Fitzpatrick, who was first elected to his post in 2022, is squaring off against Democrat Quentin Wilson.

U.S Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, talks about her re-election campaign in Illinois' 13th Congressional District.

Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wagner says that President Trump made the right decision to attack Iran, contending that the GOP president needed to prevent that country from procuring a nuclear weapon. And while the Ballwin Republican said on an episode of “Politically Speaking” that she wanted the conflict to end as soon as possible, she defended her ‘no’ votes on War Powers resolutions that sought to curtail Trump’s ability to use military force in Iran. “The president has his Article Two authorities to conduct what he is doing right now with Iran,” Wagner said. “He doesn't need Congress's permission or or non permission. Those are just political throwaway votes that the Democrats try to toss out there on a monthly basis. I'm going to give the president his prerogative in continuing this, to the extent that it takes to make sure that they're not nuclearized, to make sure that they're not attacking American citizens, to make sure that when they chant ‘Death to America,’ that it doesn't have any teeth behind it. “I believe that this will come to a quick end,” she added. Wagner is squaring off against Democrat Fred Wellman to represent Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District, which takes in portions of St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Warren County and all of Franklin County.

Missouri auditor candidate Quentin Wilson said that having a Democrat running the office would make the GOP-controlled state government more accountable. “I think it's really important in a democracy for an independent review of everything the state government does, and that's what an auditor can be,” Wilson said on the “Politically Speaking” podcast.. “A single party cannot police itself.” Wilson is running against Republican incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick, who is seeking a second four-year term. Fitzpatrick has been invited to record an episode of “Politically Speaking.”

The Democratic and Republican nominees for St. Louis County executive agree on a key issue: Missouri’s most populous county is in a dire budgetary situation. During a joint appearance on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” Democrat Jake Zimmerman and Republican Dennis Hancock both said whoever succeeds St. Louis County Executive Sam Page will have to make hard financial decisions when they’re sworn into office next year. STLPR's Rachel Lippmann and Jason Rosenbaum posed questions to the two candidates.

Republican David Messner discusses his candidacy for St. Louis County assessor.