Greene County Democrats eager for Crystal Quade to run for Governor in annual gathering

Greene County Democrats said they are ready to take the state back in 2024 at their annual Dem Days of the Ozarks — with many at the event encouraging House Minority Leader and Springfield-native Crystal Quade to run for Governor of Missouri next year.

The event marked its 100-year anniversary this year as Democrats from across the state converged into Springfield over the weekend. Recently elected Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party Russ Carnahan told the hundreds of assembled Democrats that enthusiasm for their party in Missouri is "palpable and growing." Carnahan took aim at Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who recently announced his 2024 campaign for governor.

"When he announced for governor, he let the truth come out," he said, noting Ashcroft said that Missouri Republicans have "failed to deliver" since gaining full control of the state.

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Carnahan declared to a standing ovation.

More: Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announces run for Missouri governor

To many of the Democrats assembled Saturday at the Springfield Doubletree by Hilton, the answer to Ashcroft's candidacy is their own Crystal Quade, who will be term-limited out of the House of Representatives in 2024.

At a morning event, Democratic Attorney General candidate Elad Gross asked any Democrat in the room to encourage Quade to run — causing applause and a standing ovation from the crowd.

"The Democratic Party for the state of Missouri has to stand for the working people of this state, period. We need to rebuild this party throughout our state. And one thing that this room in particular can do that would further that pretty immediately is to convince Crystal Quade to run for governor in the state of Missouri.

Quade has previously hinted at a gubernatorial run and has said she is "absolutely" considering it, according to reporting in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She tried to tamp down those expectations at her Dem Days appearance.

"I'm ready for 2024!" she declared to much cheering.

"No, not in that way, calm down," she added with a laugh.

“From the time he was defeated for state senate a decade ago, it’s been clear Jay Ashcroft feels holding office is his birthright based on his father’s accomplishments instead of a sacred duty to serve the citizens of Missouri,” Quade said in a statement following Ashcroft's announcement — referencing the elder John Ashcroft, who was at one time U.S. Attorney General and Governor of Missouri.

"Missourians deserve a governor who is dedicated to them, not an extremist who thinks he’s entitled to the People’s Mansion because of his last name,” she said in the statement.

So far, no Democratic candidates have announced a run for governor.

In her remarks Saturday evening, Quade said that the "tide is turning" in Missouri.

"We feel that rage turning into motivation and the people are ready to fight. They're ready to fight for 2024 and they want our state back. And it's not just Democrats, the people want our state back," she said.

Greene County Democrats were joined by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, who said that Missouri is "under attack" by Republicans.

"Our right to vote is under attack. Our right to health care is under attack. Our right to an abortion is under attack. Our right to unionize is under attack. And we will stay under attack until we as Democrats show up," Jones said.

"This change is not going to happen if we sit at home on our hands because we're waiting for someone to save us. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the Democrats who are going to take Missouri back, and that means getting off our asses and doing the work."

Jones also said that Republicans have gone too far in their legislative priorities and will be punished by the voters next year.

"Republicans have jumped the shark and are worried about trans children living in their truth instead of children being killed in our schools."

Jones called out Missouri Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, who she said "don't give a damn" about Missouri and are using the U.S. Senate as a "steppingstone to get to the White House."

"They are absolutely useless," she said of the dual U.S. Senators. Democrats were joined by Lucas Kunce, who is a Democrat running against Hawley in his 2024 re-election.

Candidates focus on AG's emergency rule on gender-affirming care

At a Saturday morning Dem Day event, rival Democratic candidates for Missouri Attorney General denounced incumbent Andrew Bailey's recently announced emergency rule restricting, and in some cases banning, gender-affirming transgender care for both adults and minors.

If the rule is implemented, those prescribing hormone replacement therapy for transgender patients must comply with a lengthy series of requirements or face lawsuits. According to Democratic state representative and candidate for Attorney General Sarah Unsicker, she knows many doctors who are ending treatment of transition-related healthcare rather than comply with the Attorney General's order.

"We found out about this as legislators from somebody who has been on these hormones for 10 years, who is an adult, and all of a sudden, they're gonna have to stop taking them or travel to who knows where to get what's medically necessary for them. This is a very serious situation for them," she said.

More: Missouri Attorney General's emergency rule appears to halt all 'experimental' trans care

Unsicker likened efforts to restrict or ban gender-affirming care to efforts restricting or banning abortion.

"Imagine a world where you don't control your health care, there are laws preventing you from getting the health care that you need and that your doctor says you need. Imagine a world where you can't speak out about this, because there are repercussions. Not everyone can speak truth to power. Not everybody has to imagine this world because so many Missourians are living in it."

Former Assistant Attorney General Elad Gross, who is Unsicker's opponent in the Democratic primary, also focused on the emergency rule in his remarks to Greene County Democrats.

"Its an order that says, 'I know a lot of folks are getting health care services, but I'm scared of trans people so I'm going to put this rule in place saying you can't do that.' But Andrew Bailey's fear will get a lot of people hurt..." Gross told the crowd of about 100 assembled Democrats.

Gross also noted he has spoken with potential plaintiffs impacted by the ruling, who he encouraged to sue the attorney general to overturn the healthcare restriction in court.

After the emergency rule was announced last week, Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri released a statement promising to take "any necessary legal action against Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s emergency regulation restricting access to gender-affirming care."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Greene County Democrats, Crystal Quade prepare for 2024 in annual gathering