Democrat Adrian Plank, Republican John Martin face off in House District 47
Democrat Adrian Plank and Republican John Martin are on the Nov. 8 ballot in newly drawn House District 47.
Plank is a union carpenter and a veteran of several campaigns. Martin is owner of Pro Pumping & Hydrojetting in his first campaign.
The new district comprises northwestern Boone County, including Harrisburg, Rocheport, most of Columbia's Fourth Ward and a small part of its Fifth Ward.
The district is almost evenly split between registered Democrats and registered Republicans, with Democrats 50% of the voting age population and Republicans nearly 47%.
There is no incumbent in the district, with Republican Chuck Basye restricted by term limits.
More:Missouri House District 44 race features incumbent Republican Reisch, Democratic challenger Raithel
Adrian Plank
Plank made two unsuccessful runs against Basye, and this is his third campaign for the House district. He won what he called a "crazy close" primary election in August against fellow Democrat Chimene Schwach.
The Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade was wrong and will prove harmful to women, Plank said.
"A woman has a right to make her own personal decisions" about her body, Plank said.
It's a result of a legal system controlled by dark money and Super PACs, he said.
"The more money you have, the more speech you have," Plank said. "The Legislature doesn't represent the people anymore."
Funding the University of Missouri and public schools is a priority, Plank said.
"It's extremely important," Plank said of education funding. MU is the region's biggest employer, and about a quarter of public schools are operating just four days a week.
"We just cut taxes for the wealthy again" in a special Legislative session, Plank said.
He opposes efforts to provide public funding for private schools or expand charter schools, he said.
A union supporter, Plank said unions can provide training for trades.
"It's just good for some kids to learn hands-on," Plank said.
He's a proponent of Amendment 3, legalizing marijuana use. He said he prefers to call it "adult use" instead of "recreational use."
The measure would provide funding for the Missouri Public Defenders office, he said.
On the campaign trail, he said some voters complain about the number of immigrants in the country, but he tells them many are in the country for jobs in food processing plants.
"They will demonize the immigrants for being here, but they won't hold accountable the international corporations that bring them here," Plank said.
He has changed at least one mind campaigning, he said. A friend was a big Donald Trump supporter and they stopped talking for a few years. Then the friend sent him a picture showing an Adrian Plank bumper sticker and his vehicle.
"We got together and we had a chitchat," Plank said. "He knows who I am as a person."
In his quarterly campaign finance disclosure, Plank lists $18,160 in receipts for the period and $61,348 in receipts for the election, with $18,418 on hand at the end of the period. There were many contributors of small-dollar amounts. His largest contributors were $2,000 from both the Missouri & Kansas Laborers PAC and the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council PAC. The Missouri National Education Association PAC contributed $1,500 to his campaign.
John Martin
A pro-life candidate, Martin said the Supreme Court's reversal of abortion rights was the correct decision.
Martin doesn't support any further restrictions to abortion, but said at last Wednesday's League of Women Voters candidate forum that the only exception under which an abortion is acceptable is for the health of the mother. Plank countered at the forum that every abortion is for the health of the mother.
Funding for MU and public schools is important, Martin said.
"Funding is needed for quality schools where they are supported and held to high standards," Martin said. "We want to have transparency with parents and the community and schools that teach the basics to get kids ready for jobs, college or trade schools."
Republicans provided record funding for public schools and school transportation, he said.
Public funding of private schools and expanding charter schools is an option, Martin said.
"That's something I will be looking at, when the need arises," Martin said. "I would say if there's a need for education to improve, I'm open to that."
He favors lower taxes and supports police, he said.
"It is very important to back the blue," he said at the forum.
Like Plank, Martin said he also supports unions.
"They play a role in protecting workers' rights," Martin said of unions. "The Republican Party is really the party of the working man."
He opposes Amendment 3. He said employees who are high could affect workplace productivity or safety.
Things learned while campaigning?
"The biggest thing is general frustration on the direction of our country," Martin said. "President's Biden's decisions have caused gas prices to go through the roof."
For that reason, he said he thinks some votes would change.
"A woman who's a Democrat told me, 'Don't get me started on Biden,'" Martin said.
At the forum, Martin associated Plank to what Martin said were "Biden's failed policies."
In his quarterly financial disclosure, Martin listed $11,778 in receipts for the period, with $42,164 on hand. He primarily had individuals donating small amounts, but the largest among them was $2,000 from Brenda Potterfield, an owner of Midway USA.
Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Meet Missouri House District 47 candidates John Martin, Adrian Plank
