Politically Speaking

Mark Osmack has been out of the electoral fray for awhile, but he never completely abandoned his passion for Missouri politics.

Osmack, a Valley Park native and U.S. Army veteran, previously ran for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District seat and for state Senate. During an episode of Politically Speaking, Osmack received a phone call from Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Russ Carnahan asking him to run for state treasurer.

“There's a lot of decision making and processing and evaluation that goes into it, which is something I am very passionate and interested in,” Osmack said.

Osmack is squaring off against state Treasurer Vivek Malek, who was able to easily win a crowded GOP primary against several veteran lawmakers — including House Chairman Cody Smith and Sen. Andrew Koenig.

Elad Gross, the Democratic candidate for Missouri Attorney General, is the latest guest on Politically Speaking. Gross, who ran for Attorney General back in 2020, spoke to St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg about why he decided to run again and how he believes the office can serve Missourians.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum talks to Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel about labor unions are approaching the general election cycle. Rosenbaum also talks with SLU political science professor Christopher Duncan about third party candidate in Missouri and American politics. And Rosenbaum expresses his immense frustration about political text messages.

Missouri's U.S. Senate race between Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley and Democrat Lucas Kunce will likely be the most high-profile contest on the state's Nov. 5 ballot. But there is another candidate seeking the office: Better Party contender Jared Young. The Webb City resident talks with STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum about why he believes a candidate who isn't a Republican or Democrat can make an impact in the 2024 election cycle.

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum talks with UMSL's Anita Manion and STLPR's Sarah Kellogg about Tuesday's primary results. Rosenbaum also spoke with Wesley Bell, Mike Kehoe, Crystal Quade and Bob Onder about their big wins — and what they could mean for Missouri politics.

On August 6, Missourians will go to the polls to decide some of the most important primary elections in recent memory. On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum talks with Sarah Kellogg and Jo Mannies about the big things to look for when the results come in on Tuesday. Rosenbaum also talks with Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Mike Hamra about his primary campaign.

The latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air features Democrat Lucas Kunce explaining why he should take on GOP Sen. Josh Hawley in the fall. St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum also talks with former state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal about her bid for Missouri's 1st Congressional District.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Sen. Jason Bean joins St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg to discuss Gov. Mike Parson’s budget vetoes — and the future of the Missouri Senate.

Bean represents Missouri’s 25th Senatorial District, which includes Stoddard, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley, Oregon, Mississippi, Butler, Wayne and Carter Counties. The Holcomb Republican was elected to his post in 2020.

Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush is no stranger to confronting powerful political and civic institutions. After all, Bush challenged, and eventually defeated, Congressman Lacy Clay in 2020 — and before that became well known in St. Louis for her time in the protest movement that arose after Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson.

Now, Bush is facing another challenge on Aug. 6. She’s trying to outflank St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell and former state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal in a nationally-watched contest. Bush spoke with St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air. Rosenbaum also talked with state Sen. Karla May on her bid to take on GOP U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley in the fall.

Before he became attorney general, Andrew Bailey served in a number of roles — including a soldier, a security guard, a prosecutor and general counsel to Gov. Mike Parson.

And as the GOP statewide official faces a tough primary battle with St. Louis County attorney Will Scharf for the right to keep his job, Bailey is hoping that Republican voters see his collective experience inside and outside of politics as a compelling drawing point.

“I care about the state because it's home,” Bailey said on an episode of the Politically Speaking podcast. “I got to grow up in a Missouri that enjoyed freedom, safety, prosperity. And I want my kids and your listeners' kids and grandkids to enjoy those things as well.”