Amy Thompson

Amy Thompson was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota. She graduated from Lake Mills High School and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1991 and a graduate degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2001. Her career experience includes working as an educator.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a teacher who was tired of elected officials ignoring the voices of their constituents and overturning ballot initiatives which the voters spoke. I was often powerless to do anything because my representative would run unopposed. I am running to give every voter a choice and a voice.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Your voice matters. I need to listen.Tax dollars allocated for education should only be used for public schools. Public money is for public schools.Access to healthcare is not a privilege, but a right. Besides, it is cheaper to provide preventative care and maintain health than it is to wait and then treat acute illnesses.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about making sure that the rich pay their fair share so that we all do better. Education, healthcare, and safety are all important to me, but as long as we give tax breaks to the rich we will not have the funds to fix things that we need to address.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

It is most important that elected officials remember that they are elected to serve their constituents. Part of that service is listening to and respecting the voices of the voters.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Elected officials need to work to improve the of lives of their constituents and all residents of Missouri.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to be remembered as someone who worked hard for my constituents and helped improve the lives of my constituents.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was babysitting for neighbors. I did this throughout high school and sometimes when I was home from college. My senior year of high school I also worked at a small local grocery store where I did a little bit of everything--checking, bagging, stocking shelves.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

When I was a child, my dad's chronic kidney disease became worse and he had to begin dialysis when I was in 4th grade. We lived in a rural area without any dialysis centers nearby, and so my mom was trained to do dialysis at home. My parents worked to prepare our farmhouse for a hemodialysis machine and all the equipment that went with it. My brother was a preschooler, and broke something the first time my parents did dialysis at home. So, going forward they waited until I got home from school so that I could watch my brother. This was our lives for 11 years until my dad got a transplant. My parents modelled how to effectively face really difficult situations. From this I learned responsibility, problem solving, and how to work together for a common goal.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

They both should work to do what's best for the people of Missouri. If one side or the other loses sight of this, the other side needs to use what power they have to do right by Missourians. There is a reason that vetoes exist and that those vetoes can be overturned.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

On top of correcting some past mistakes that are holding us back from growing, we will have to adjust to quickly changing technology and how to responsibly use it as we move forward.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, I believe that compromise is necessary. We have become a fractured society where people act as if one side is at best irrational. Yet, most people really do want the same things--to be able to earn enough working one job to afford to live a reasonable life with housing, food, healthcare and maybe an occasional meal out. If elected officials worked together to address these needs, we could accomplish great growth for out state. That said, there are some lines that cannot be crossed. For example, if elected officials want to infringe on individual rights or silence voter voices, I do not see room for compromise.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

I remember Watergate. I was not old enough to understand what was happening, but it interrupted Sesame Street and the men in suits were not as entertaining as Big Bird.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up as the 3rd of 4 children on a small family farm in Iowa. After graduating from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in education I taught and nannied for the next 5 years seeing different parts of the country. At that point I got a teaching job in Franklin County Missouri where I met my husband and have lived for the last 25 years. With over 25 years of teaching experience, I decided to run for office after seeing how some lawmakers ignored the voices of those they were to be serving. I have decided to run to give a voice and choice to people often ignored by those in power.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The issue that is most important to me is reproductive freedom. After seeing the effects of one of the nations most restrictive abortion bans, I want to work to bring the right to choose back to Missourians. A person and their doctor are best suited to make medical decisions.As an active volunteer for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, I have worked for the last 5 years to make Missouri safer from gun violence. I would welcome the chance, if elected, to pass legislation to make Missouri safer by closing background check loopholes and creating robust red flag law. Over the years, rather than supporting positive laws, we have had to fight unsafe laws such as guns everywhere which would allow for firearms to be in day care centers. We can do better, and I would be honored to be part of the positive change for Missouri.For over 100 years we have had an initiative process which allowed the people of Missouri to change statutes and amend the constitution. This was often the only way I had to make my voice heard. The last class of legislators tried unsuccessfully to change the requirements needed to pass a ballot initiative making it nearly impossible to pass new ballot initiatives. I will protect the current process which gives the people the opportunity to be heard.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As explained to in my key messages, I am passionate about reproductive rights, making our state safer from gun violence, and protecting the voice of the citizens by safeguarding the initiative process. One additional area that I am passionate about is protecting LGBTQ+ rights.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

While there will be times when difficult decisions will need to be made, elected officials need to listen to constituents. People need to feel respected and heard.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

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What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember Watergate only because it interrupted Sesame Street and those boring guys in suits were not as much fun as Big Bird. I was 4 and really liked Sesame Street.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I babysat for neighbors in high school. My senior year of high school I worked as a checker in a local grocery store.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, the only way to get things done is to work together, and having strong relationships with other legislators makes this possible. Having relationships with your peers will create the atmosphere needed to collaborate and compromise to create legislation which will benefit the citizens of Missouri.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and government accountability go hand in hand and are needed for a healthy government. No one likes to pay taxes, and it is the responsibility of government officials to let the people know how their money is a being used.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

I oppose changing the initiative process and would work to protect the process that has worked for over a century.