Monday, one day before the deadline, state Senator Steve Roberts (District 5) filed papers to run for U.S. Congress (District 1) in the Missouri Democratic primary in August 2022, challenging popular Congressional representative Cori Bush (MO-1).
Candidates already on the Democratic primary roster for U.S. House of Representatives for Missouri’s District 1 include: Earl Childress, Michael Daniels, Ron Harshaw and David Koehr.
Roberts, age 33-34, has criticized Bush’s decision to vote against the federal infrastructure bill. However, Bush faulted the prioritization of the infrastructure bill ahead of The Build Back Better Act which sought to provide critical social services for Americans. Roberts is regarded by some political insiders as an effective strategist, with a talent for working across the aisle. He served in the Missouri House of Representative from 2017 to 2021.
Suspicions surrounding past conduct could cloud Roberts’ campaign. He was arrested and accused of sexual assault of a young woman in 2015 when he was working for the Circuit Attorney’s office. Roberts claimed he was innocent and was never indicted for sexual assault. He was also publicly accused of rape by state Representative-elect Cora Faith Walker in 2016, but claimed that what took place between them was consensual and despite civil law suits filed against each other, criminal charges were never filed. Walker died on March 11, 2022.
