Stephen Webber Explained

Stephen Webber
Office:Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party
Term Start:December 4, 2016
Term End:December 1, 2018
Predecessor:Roy Temple
Successor:Jean Peters Baker
State House1:Missouri
District1:46th
Term Start1:January 7, 2009
Term End1:January 9, 2017
Predecessor1:Jeff Harris
Successor1:Martha Stevens
Birth Date:8 June 1983
Party:Democratic
Allegiance: United States
Serviceyears:2004
2006–2007
Rank:Sergeant
Battles:Iraq War

Stephen Webber (born June 8, 1983) is the former Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party.[1] Webber served as a Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2009 to 2016, representing the 46th District in central Missouri. Before taking office, Webber served two tours of duty in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps. He resides in Columbia. Webber was a potential candidate for Missouri governor but did not enter the race .[2]

Background and education

Webber attended The American Legion Boys State of Missouri in 2000.[3] He is a 2001 graduate of Hickman High School in Columbia, MO.[4] He received his bachelor's degree in economics from Saint Louis University in 2006.[5] Webber received his J.D. in 2013 from the University of Missouri School of Law and is a licensed attorney in the State of Missouri.[6]

Career

Webber has served two tours of duty in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps.[7] [8] His first tour, which began in 2004 and lasted 7 months, found him stationed outside Abu Ghraib prison. In 2006, he returned to Iraq, this time to Fallujah, as a squad leader of 12 other Marines.[5] [9]

After returning from Iraq, he worked as an aide to Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in Washington, D.C.[5]

Webber completed his Juris Doctor in 2013 at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and is licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri.

Political career

Election to State House

Democratic primary

On February 19, 2008, Webber announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination to replace Representative Jeff Harris as the member for the 23rd District in the Missouri House of Representatives.[9] Harris, a Democrat, had previously announced he would not run for reelection in order to run for attorney general of Missouri.[10]

Webber defeated opponent Cande Iveson in the August 5, 2008 Democratic primary election, with 3,391 votes to her 1,735,[11] or 66.2 percent to 33.8 percent of the vote.[12]

During the primary campaign, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported that Webber had received a number of "high-powered endorsements" from "education groups, labor unions and a bevy of Columbia political figures"[13] including former Missouri governor Roger B. Wilson[12] and local Democratic booster Bruce Wilson.

General election

Webber ran unopposed in the November 4th, 2008 general election,[14] [15] winning 100% of the vote[16] and making him the youngest representative in the state.[17]

In office

Upon election, Webber and fellow incoming representatives Mary Still and Chris Kelly announced a number of legislative initiatives, vowing to increase funding for the University of Missouri,[18] add "robo-calls" to Missouri's No Call List,[19] increase state restrictions on short-term or "payday" loans,[20] and change Missouri election law to allow early voting.[21]

During his first term as representative, Webber sat on the Rules Committee, a Special Standing Committee on Workforce Development and Workplace Safety, and the Homeland Security Committee.[22] [23]

State Senate elections

In April 2015 State Rep. Stephen Webber announced his intention to seek the 19th District State Senate seat. In his announcement Webber described the importance of the Mid-Missouri community, "When I was sitting in Fallujah, the place I wanted to come back to was Boone County, it wasn't anywhere else in the world," Webber said. "The community has invested a lot in me and I want to make sure we invest in the next generation of Missourians."[24] The incumbent State Senator, Kurt Schaefer, was term limited. Webber was unopposed in the August 2016 Democratic primary election, and in November he faced Republican state Representative Caleb Rowden. District 19 was made up of two counties: Boone and Cooper, with 91% of the votes cast in Boone and only 9% cast in Cooper. Webber narrowly won Boone by a margin of 1,063 votes, but Rowden won Cooper by a landslide of 3,219 votes, giving Rowden the win district-wide.

In February of 2024, Webber filed to run for District 19 again, which is currently made up of only Boone County, and is unopposed again in the Democratic primary.[25]

Electoral history

State Senate

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Missouri Democratic Party chairman won't seek another term. Mannies. Jo. news.stlpublicradio.org. 15 November 2018. en. 2019-02-24.
  2. Web site: New Missouri Democratic vice chair says the party can attract both urban and rural voters. Rosenbaum. Jason. www.ksmu.org. 4 December 2018 . en. 2019-02-24.
  3. Web site: Who's Who of Missouri Boys State. 2021-09-16. moboysstate.org.
  4. Web site: Military Notes . Columbia Daily Tribune . April 27, 2003 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160124122405/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2003/apr/20030427fort003.asp . January 24, 2016 . dead .
  5. News: Primary primer: Webber, although young, touts his wealth of life experience . Barker . Jacob . Columbia Missourian . July 28, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . 2013-01-19 . https://archive.today/20130119215800/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/07/28/primary-primer-webber-although-young-touts-his-wealth-life-experience/ . dead .
  6. News: Santiago. Christina. Rep. Stephen Webber running for state senate. 2015-05-29. KOMU. April 9, 2015. 2015-05-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20150530004730/http://www.komu.com/news/rep-stephen-webber-running-for-state-senate/. dead.
  7. News: Federal programs ease voting for those serving in military overseas . Keller . Rudi . Southeast Missourian . October 24, 2008 . 2008-07-06.
  8. Web site: An outpouring of support . Greaney . T.J. . Columbia Daily Tribune . September 2, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708180827/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/sep/20080902news001.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  9. Web site: Local Marine to run for seat in state House . Rosenbaum . Jason . Columbia Daily Tribune . February 20, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708181024/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/feb/20080220news011.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  10. Web site: Some area lawmakers are bound to change in this fall's elections . Rosenbaum . Jason . Columbia Daily Tribune . June 22, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708180303/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/ourtown/20080622ourtown064a.asp . July 8, 2011 .
  11. News: Webber, Still win Democratic nods for state House seats . Barker . Jacob . Columbia Missourian . August 6, 2008 . 2008-07-05.
  12. Web site: Webber easily wins 23rd seat . Rosenbaum . Jason . Columbia Daily Tribune . August 6, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708180822/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/aug/20080806news001.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  13. Web site: War vet gets high-level support . Rosenbaum . Jason . Columbia Daily Tribune . July 23, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708181029/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/jul/20080723news006.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  14. Web site: Students get taste of politics . Heavin . Janese . Columbia Daily Tribune . October 30, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708180836/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/oct/20081030news008.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  15. News: Unopposed 23rd District candidate keeps busy on Election Day . Dieterich . Chris . Columbia Missourian . November 5, 2008 . 2008-07-06.
  16. Web site: Summary Report - Boone County, Missouri . Boone County Clerk's Office . November 4, 2008 . 2008-07-06.
  17. Web site: Youngest Lawmaker Prepares for First Session . Aldrich . Dick . Missouri House of Representatives http://www.house.missouri.gov/content.aspx?info=/audio.htm . December 22, 2008 . 2008-07-06.
  18. Web site: Freshmen legislators want more university funding . Slavit . Mark . Connect Mid-Missouri . November 20, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006210658/http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=225281 . October 6, 2011 . dead .
  19. Web site: Bill would cap payday loan rates . Heavin . Janese . Columbia Daily Tribune . December 1, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708181016/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/dec/20081201news007.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  20. News: Proposed legislation to restrict payday loans . Tsukayama . Haley . Columbia Missourian . December 3, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://archive.today/20120724175235/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/12/03/new-legislation-calls-stricter-limits-payday-loans/ . July 24, 2012 . dead .
  21. News: Early voting . Waters . Henry J. III . Columbia Missourian . November 13, 2008 . 2008-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708180908/http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/nov/20081113comm003.asp . July 8, 2011 . dead .
  22. Web site: Representative Stephen Webber . Missouri House of Representatives (http://house.mo.gov) . 2009-07-05.
  23. Web site: Columbia representatives find their committee assignments . Denney . Andrew . The Maneater . January 19, 2009 . 2009-07-06.
  24. News: Keller . Rudi. Webber announces plans to seek Senate seat in 2016 . 1 March 2017 . Columbia Daily Tribune. 9 April 2015.
  25. Web site: UNOFFICIAL Candidate Filing List. Missouri Secretary of State. March 26, 2024. May 27, 2024.

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