Maria Chappelle-Nadal launches run for St. Louis’ Missouri US Congress seat

ST. LOUIS – Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Democrat and a former Missouri state representative, has launched a run for a Missouri U.S. Congress seat that represents the City of St. Louis.

Chappelle-Nadal announced her candidacy for the 1st Congressional District of Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday.

She will challenge incumbent Cori Bush and current St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell for the seat. This comes nearly a week after the Department of Justice launched an investigation into Bush and her campaign’s spending on security services, though Bush denies any wrongdoing.

Chappelle-Nadal served St. Louis County through a seat in the Missouri U.S. Representatives from 2011 to 2019. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports she has also worked as an aide to the St. Louis County Council.

According to her campaign announcement Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter), Chappelle-Nadal says Republican support of Bell’s campaign run and Bush’s investigation were motives in her making a run.

“It’s time St. Louis had a real choice in representation. Not one between a Republican plant who’s failed at the biggest job he’s ever held and someone who has created more controversy than progress since we sent her to Washington,” said Chappelle-Nadal in a Twitter video.

“It’s time to have a conversation about effective public service for our country, and that’s why I’m running for Congress,” she continued.

Chappelle-Nadal says she has more than 20 years of experience in public service and claims to have more legislative experience than Bush and Bell combined.

District 1 covers all of St. Louis City and several cities in north and central St. Louis County. The congressional district seat, which was last occupied by a Republican in 1949. The primary election for District 1 is set for Aug. 6, 2024.

For more information on Chappelle-Nadal’s run for Congress, click here.

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