Missouri House of Representative candidates spoke with students and faculty Monday at Westminster’s Backer Dining Hall.
The Westminster College Democrats club hosted the event, called Donuts with Democrats, which consisted of several candidates from several different districts and positions about their campaigns and platforms in an informal setting.
It was a chance for students and faculty to ask questions and hear responses from candidates.
Some of the topics discussed included climate change and student debt.
Adrian Plank, running for 47th district in the state House, which currently encompasses Boone, Randolph, Howard and Cooper counties, said anytime you can get students involved and get them informed about candidates, you have to take that opportunity. It’s a way to get students involved.
Jon Karlen, who hopes to represent the 3rd district for Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes Fulton, said he thinks anything on a college campus where you bring candidates and young people together is a huge benefit both for candidates to be heard and, more importantly, for people to be heard by candidates.
“Any opportunity to interact is great,” Karlen said. “This was a good format.”
Jessica Slisz, running for 49th district in the state House, which also encompasses Fulton, was at the event and is a former Westminster student. Other candidates who attended the one-hour event included Chimene Schwack, running for 47th district in the Missouri House of Representatives.
The primary election is Aug. 2 and general election will be in November.