Raymond Reed

Raymond Reed was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Missouri in 2018. Reed's career experience includes working as a party affairs organizer with the Missouri Democratic Party.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ray Reed is a Democratic Candidate for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. At 25 years old, this product of union workers, born and raised in the suburbs of St. Louis is building a broad and diverse coalition across divisions of race, region, religion, gender, income, and age group.

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?

HealthcareJobsJustice

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Ray is running on healthcare, jobs, and justice. The pandemic has exposed the fact that healthcare shouldn't be a privilege for only those who can afford it, but a right afforded to all. The affordable care act laid the groundwork for universal healthcare and in Congress, Ray will work to build on it. A product of union workers, Ray will introduce legislation to federalize sectoral barganing for labor union which will be the largest expansion of union rights since President Roosevelt's new deal. He also supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Justice isn't only about criminal justice, its also about economic justice with federalizing a fair tax code holding Wall Street accountable to their fair share; environmental justice by preserving Missouri's natural resources through a green new deal; educational justice with forgiving federal student loans and creating a K-12 policy crafted around diversity, equity, and inclusion; reproductive justice pledging to vote to modify Roe and preserving the reproductive rights indefinitely.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Obviously Barack Obama because I think we both approach politics and life similarly with an optimistic and hopeful outlook. But I also have to give credit to Jason Kander (former Secretary of State in Missouri). Most folks think Kander materialized in a viral 2016 campaign ad of him breaking down an assault rifle while blindfolded, but I always encourage folks to research his work in the Missouri legislature and more importantly his work since 2018 protecting our democracy and fighting for veterans. Kander is some one who always placed integrity over expediency and service over his own ambition, and I've tried to emulate that in my own race.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Plenty Ladylike by Claire McCaskill, Promise me dad by Joe Biden, The audacity of Hope by Barack Obama, and Outside the wire by Jason Kander.

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

Integrity, patience, love for the community you're tasked with serving.

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

To place the priorities of the community over my own personal or political ones. For a long time politicians have abused the power of this office for their own person or political gain. My first priority will be restoring honor and integrity back to this seat in Congress.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Creating a path for the next generation to get involved in our democracy and exercise their rights to vote in our democracy.

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

The biggest one would have to be the first one that hit close to home and that would be the death of Michael Brown that sparked the Ferguson, Missouri protest. It happened 5 minutes away from the district I'm running for now. I remember being in high school at the time and wondering how being accused of stealing cigarets could justify a penalty of murder by an officer. I understood the community pain because like meany of them I know what its like to grow up an African American in America and feel like your voice isn't heart-- It can be a suffocating feeling.

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

Missouri's governor's office. After my freshman year of college, I was honored to join the policy team of Missouri's last democratic governor the honorable Governor Jay Nixon during the final year of his administration. While in the office, I worked on bill reviews, clemency applications, and boards and commission appointments.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible. I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but really whenever I'm stuck in life there always a passage I can turn to.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Iron Man. Even dead, Tony Stark is the hero.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Rock with you by Michael Jackson

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Our job is to craft legislation beneficial to our districts so in a way, we're sort of like your mail man, our job is to deliver.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be, but I believe the best candidate is always the one who knows the district the best, and often times, career politicians can get so caught up in the system that they forget why they ran in the first place.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Misinformation: Social media is quickly becoming the way most Americans receive their news and it's the future of the news industry. Congress must prioritize regulating it and its up to the people to send folks to congress who are young enough to actually understand how these platforms work and the implications regulations will have on America in the 21st century.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Oversight, Judicial, Financial Services.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

For Congress, I think the people serve as the decider on term limits, with the House being up for election every two years, if folks aren't satisfied they can vote them out fairly quickly. The Senate is different. with every state having a guarantee of two senators and each of those senators having 6 years between elections, I support another check on Senate power.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Nancy Pelosi. No doubt about it in my mind, she embodies what it means to be a truly great legislator and in my opinion is the best legislator of the 21st Century presiding of groundbreaking, unprecedented laws like the affordable care act, the fair pay act, the bipartisan infrastructure law, the Cares Act and so much more. Every legislator coming into congress to carefully study her career.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Yes, there was this mother living in Kirkwood who told me the anxiety her high schooler feels about someone coming into her school and killing her and her classmates. To be honest, I understand her plight because I'm the first candidate in the district to grow up in the school shooter era learning shooter drills before I even learned how to read. I assured her that in congress I'll be the loudest advocate to action on common sense gun control legislation and will stay in to fight until we end gun violence in America.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I don't have many jokes to tell... Ask Donald Trump, he's the political clown.

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

Absolutely, Every politician I've worked for has a long career of working both with opposing members of their own party and of the other party to get things done. We should always fight for our stances, but at the same time, we can't let them blind us of the progress to be made.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

It means that early on in my tenure in congress, we have an opportunity to literally put our money where our mouths are and add amendment to forgive federal student loans, reinstate the child tax credit, and pursue every single democratic priority of the last 25 years.