Area Candidates Jumping Off The Missouri Statehouse Ballot

There’s one less Democratic candidate in the race for the 1st Senatorial District, which encompasses a sizable portion of south St. Louis County.

Michael Vogt, an Affton resident who served four terms in the Missouri House, withdrew his candidacy earlier this week. Vogt, an attorney, raised only $100 during the past fundraising quarter, a far cry from either Rep. Scott Sifton (D-Affton) or former state Rep. Sue Schoemehl (D-Oakville).

Whoever wins the primary between Sifton and Schoemehl will face incumbent state Sen. Jim Lembke (R-Lemay). While the , Lembke does have a sizable campaign war chest. That could come in handy, especially since his first bid for the state Senate was one of the more expensive contests in recent memory.

Other candidates that have withdrawn recently from state legislative races include Ed Rowles, a Chesterfield Republican who had previously challenged incumbent state Rep. Don Gosen (R-Chesterfield) in the 101st District.

And Ethel Mae Young, a Democrat from northern St. Louis County, was thrown off the ballot in the 75thDistrict. That race will pit state Rep. Sylvester Taylor (D-Black Jack) versus Rep. Rochelle Walton Gray (D-Black Jack) making it one of a handful of contests in St. Louis County featuring incumbents facing off against each other.