There's only one contested primary in Boone County's Missouri House races; others set for November
There's just one contested primary race for Missouri House of Representatives involving Boone County in the Aug. 2 primary election.
It's in District 47, where the race between Adrian Plank and Chimene Schwach will decide who the Democratic nominee will be.
The winner will face Republican John Martin on Nov. 8. He's unopposed in the primary.
A primary is good way to bring a diversity of opinions to the campaign, Plank said.
A negative is you have to use campaign resources to compete with a fellow party member, he said.
In his previous campaigns, Plank said he has done what he can to help other Democratic candidates, but he said he won't have the ability to do that this time.
Schwach also said primaries can be beneficial.
"I have always felt that primaries produce strong candidates who are willing to fight for the people in Jeff City," Schwach said.
Primaries also result in getting people excited to run for office, she said.
Both said they want the campaign to remain civil, because a negative campaign would only benefit the Republican candidate.
"It needs to be positive if you're going to bring Democrats together," Plank said.
It's been a good campaign so far, both said.
"I'm enjoying campaigning and getting to know people," Schwach said.
"I'm still putting the work in and I'm not taking it for granted," Plank said.
The redrawn district is northwest Boone County, including Harrisburg, Rocheport, most of Columbia's Fourth Ward and part of its Fifth Ward. It is almost 50% Democratic and almost 47% Republican.
Other Boone County districts
Democratic State Rep. David Tyson Smith is unopposed in the primary for District 46 and unopposed in the general election.
The heavily Democratic district is in central Columbia.
Also unopposed in the primary and the general election is Democrat Kathy Steinhoff, running in District 45. Another heavily Democratic district, it's in west-central Columbia.
Steinhoff posted on Twitter on Tuesday that she underwent an unplanned heart surgery while on vacation, but she is determined to continue her campaign.
In other House districts, the November contests are set.
In District 44, Democrat Dave Raithel will face incumbent Republican Cheri Reisch.
The district is eastern Boone County, including Centralia, Hallsville and Ashland. It's nearly 60% Republican and nearly 37% Democratic.
Voters in District 50 on Nov. 8 will decide between Republican James Musgraves and Democrat Doug Mann.
The southern Columbia district is almost 54% Democratic and almost 43% Republican.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Boone County has just one contested statehouse primary Aug. 2
