Missouri’s Senate District 19 candidates discuss Amendment 3, crime reduction

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

James Coyne and Stephen Webber are both eyeing the seat for Missouri Senate District 19.

The district covers all of Boone County. The seat allows for two, four-year terms and is currently filled by State Sen. Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia), who cannot run because of term limits.

Coyne is the Republican on the ballot, while Webber is representing the Democratic Party. Webber previously served eight years in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Coyne and Webber are not strangers. Earlier this year, Webber filed a lawsuit with the Republican Senate Committee to remove Coyne from the ballot. He claimed the committee missed the legal deadline to pick Coyne as replacement for Chuck Bayse after he dropped out because of a cancer diagnosis.

Cole County Judge Jon Beetem however denied the request, stating Webber did not have standing to remove Coyne because Coyne had to first win the August primary to be on the November ballot.

Both candidates say work done at the Capitol in Jefferson City led them to run for office. Webber criticized legislation from Republicans.

"There is so much that happens in Jefferson City that impacts our community, this is a community that is built around education, built around health care and so many of those things are influence at the state level, I think Jefferson City is broken," Webber said. "I think that the MAGA super majority there has not gotten anything done for the last few years, and has actually hurt a lot of institutions that are important to this community and have infringed on our personal freedoms and have just been bad for the state."

Coyne says his drive for change in the legislative process led him to run for office.

"I've learned a lot  about what works and doesn't work in Jeff City. You run up against a brick wall so many times, and it's like, oh, I think there's a brick wall there. I wonder what we could do about that, which kind of brings me to the if I had to pick one issue that if I could, if I could get this fixed," Coyne said. "If you're able to have an open and transparent and participative -- if that's the right word -- process with all of the senators and all of the representatives that we elect, you get good laws, and people are accountable because they have to vote on legislation."

Coyne was born in the St. Louis area and is a Columbia insurance broker. While he has no experience in elected politics, he said he is familiar with Missouri politics through advocacy work. Coyne says he has a good understanding the U.S. and Missouri constitutions.

Webber is a Columbia native who graduated from Hickman High School. He says he is a union worker and has focused his campaign on statewide ballot initiatives such as raising minimum wage.

Both candidates spoke on possible solutions to crime reduction.

Coyne says to bring the crime rate down, police departments need to have "unlimited immunity."

"That's the No. 1 thing, is backing your police officers and you know I think they should have unlimited immunity." Coyne said. "You get more police officers and you give them the backing they need to do the job."

Webber, in his response about crime reduction, focused on gun crime. He also suggested creating more economic opportunities and improving schooling.

"We gotta get guns away from criminals, I think that's something hopefully everyone can come together and agree on, beyond that let's not criminalize police officers that are trying to enforce gun laws." Webber said.

"I think every kid needs to have a belief that they can make something of their life and they can they need to have a future they can see and they can believe in. Yeah, I think if a kid doesn't see a future for themselves, then it's easier to fall into crime and other problems."

Amendment 3 was put on the ballot after an initiative petition. If passed, the measure will reverse the state's abortion ban. The candidates strongly disagree on whether it should pass.

"Oh, I'm against Amendment 3," Coyne said. "It (a fetus) has its own rights just like you and I do, it might not be able to speak yet; and it might not be able to say, 'Woah, I don't want to die.' But it doesn't have less rights then you and me. But where is that point?"

"I am a strong supporter of Amendment 3." Webber said. " I believe that these decisions should be women's decisions, the government shouldn't be involved. And I think Amendment 3 is important to restoring those freedoms that MAGA has really taken away a lot of freedoms from people."

View the entire interview with Webber here.

View the entire interview with Coyne here.