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Will Missouri's abortion ban hurt Republicans?

Many Missourians don't support the state's abortion ban, but that doesn't appear to change who they vote for. Plus: The 988 emergency mental health hotline debuted this summer, but some advocates question if Missouri is committed to funding the project long term.

Despite Missourians' displeasure with the state's abortion ban, it doesn't seem to be affecting their voting habits. A St. Louis University and YouGov poll found that 75% of Missouri voters believe that there should be exceptions for rape and incest, yet Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who enacted the ban, maintains a significant lead in the race for U.S. Senate. St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum outlines these discrepancies.

The 988 hotline was created to assist those who are in mental health crises. After the hotline's introduction, Missouri saw a 30% increase in callers to crisis help centers. Despite its success, some advocates question if the hotline will continue to be funded in the long term. St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Fentem reports.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
Trevor Grandin is a contributing producer for KCUR Studios.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
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