In this week's election, President-elect Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris while Republicans swept statewide offices across Missouri.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, a Democrat, says he believes his party needs to adjust its messaging ahead of future election cycles if it wants to be more successful, especially with working class voters.
"Caring about education is good for working class voters," Lucas said. "Caring about health care and childcare are good for working class voters, and getting back to that narrative is essential if Democrats don't want to keep having nights like this."
Among the winners this week was Republican Mike Kehoe, who won the election for Missouri governor.
Kehoe announced yesterday that he intends to seek state control of the St. Louis Police Department. Currently, Kansas City is the only major city in the country that does not have control of its own police department — rather, it's run by a governor-appointed Board of Police Commissioners.
Lucas has long been against state control of the KCPD, which is rooted in Civil War racism. He says that Kansas City's rise in gun violence is not because of “liberal policies,” but rather because the city cannot enact change.
"I have great respect for Mike Kehoe, but nonetheless is saying, yeah, if we get state control of the police department in St Louis, things are going to be better, which you say, well, look at Kansas City, where things haven't gotten better," Lucas said.
Lucas says he hopes Governor-elect Kehoe will appoint police commissioners willing to work with the city government.
Meanwhile, Kansas City officials are still hoping to convince the Royals to build a stadium downtown in Washington Square Park. Lucas says his team has met with the Royals more than 20 times since voters in April rejected a sales tax to support a new ballpark.
Now, Lucas says the Royals need to make a decision on a location so the city can put together a financing package.
"I've got two and a half years left as mayor. I have a lot of things I want to get done," Lucas said. "If this continues to be the core conversation, we're doing a disservice to the people. So I still hope by the end of the year, we have a good path going forward."
The proposed ballpark would be north of Crown Center and east of Union Station. One possible plan could involve redirecting different taxes to the development.
Lucas says the Royals are also considering sites in Kansas.
- Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas
