In the Democratic primary on Tuesday, August 2, Rochelle Walton Gray – a term-limited state representative from Black Jack – is trying to unseat long-term incumbent Mike O’Mara, a close ally of County Executive Steve Stenger and North County Labor, in St. Louis County’s 4th District. The 4th District includes the county’s farthest northern reaches, including most of Florissant and Bellefontaine Neighbors and all of Black Jack and Spanish Lake. The American spoke to Gray about her campaign.
The St. Louis American: Why is this Council seat important?
Rochelle Walton Gray: So much of the population of the 4th District lives in unincorporated St. Louis County, which means they don’t have any municipal government and they have to depend upon St. Louis County government for municipal services. That means the 4th District councilperson has two sometimes competing or contradictory responsibilities – to provide authorization and oversight for the countywide government responsibilities, and also has to be an advocate for the municipal interest of residents of the district.
The St. Louis American: In your interaction with voters of the 4th District, what have been the reoccurring issues?
Rochelle Walton Gray: Lack of accessibility to the County Councilperson, Mike O’Mara, and his failure to respond to any questions or concerns, brought to his attention. Not just his failure to provide results, but abandoned property, lack of street lights and lack of street repairs, hassles with the County’s municipal court causing people to sometimes get locked up over small issues and even lose their jobs as a result.
I have met with small business owners (black and white) and community organizations. They say that people need a person on the County Council who would support and protect their interests. There is also significant dissatisfaction with Steve Stenger, and I will make him accountable to my constituents.
The St. Louis American: You are a longtime North County resident. How have you seen North County change during that time?
Rochelle Walton Gray: Too many homeowners are still upside down on their mortgages, and that has resulted in too many abandoned homes and too many poorly maintained rental houses. While Florissant and Hazelwood have seemed to maintain their fair share of business activity, other areas have seen large and small businesses leave.
Let’s look at Jamestown Mall, Northwest Plaza and Crestwood Plaza. All three were built about the same time and became functionally obsolete about the same. But there was one important difference: Northwest Plaza and Crestwood Plaza are both in municipalities, while Jamestown Mall is in unincorporated St. Louis County.
The redevelopment of Crestwood and Northwest Plazas were the top priority of Crestwood and St. Ann. The failure of Jamestown Mall to be successfully redeveloped can be directly attributed to O’Mara. Wal-Mart proposed to locate there, and he opposed it because Wal-Mart was not unionized. Wal-Mart located in Florissant instead. Wal-Mart would have brought Jamestown Mall back alive.
The St. Louis American: Because of term limits, you could not run for reelection as a state representative. What motivated you to run for state rep?
Rochelle Walton Gray: I have been in and around politics all of my life. My father (Elbert Walton) and stepmother (Juanita Head Walton) were state reps. I ran to take my stepmother’s place. I was also motivated to run for office at the urging of others, who saw the need for someone who would represent the community and the average person, and not big business or union bosses. I absolutely loved being a legislator and the community service it allowed me to perform.
The St. Louis American: The incumbent has held the seat for a very long time. I believe that he and his father, who preceded him, have held the 4th District seat for a combined 36 years. How do you plan to beat him?
Rochelle Walton Gray: Because of the early, substantial financial help of state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal, I believe we’ve run an effective campaign. The 4th Council District has a significant white population that has been open and welcoming to my candidacy, but the key will be black voter turnout. The underperformance of black voters in Democratic primaries has been the key to North County Labor’s political control and, by extension, the neglect of the interests of the majority of the residents of North County.
The St. Louis American: What’s your strategy for improving turnout?
Rochelle Walton Gray: Primarily, we are asking churches to mobilize their congregations, as they did during 2012, when Obama ran for his second term. We cannot continue to just focus on the presidential election. What’s good for me is that at least half of the white voters in the district are Republican and will be voting in the Republican primary, so I should have at least a 70 percent black voting majority on August 2.
At 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, Rochelle Walton Gray and state Rep. will Alan Gray present the 5th Annual Community Resource Fair at Christ the King United Church of Christ, 11370 Old Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. For more information, call (314) 355-6789.
The primary election is Tuesday, August 2.
