Meet Stephen
Meet Stephen Webber, Democratic Candidate Running for Missouri State Senate District 19
Meet Stephen
Stephen Webber is a veteran, attorney, and lifelong Boone Countian who will bring a strong work ethic and a commitment to fighting for what's right to the Missouri Senate.
Stephen believes in
strong public schools, good jobs, safe communities and women's freedom to make their own healthcare decisions. Stephen is running to make Boone County as great a place for today’s children to grow up as it was for him. As a union member Stephen is a fierce advocate for the American worker, because that’s what he is, and that's who he cares about.
Stephen Comes From
Boone County
Stephen grew up at the University of Missouri. Literally.
As a preschooler he attended “Green Door” the university's child development lab where as a 3-year old he was (unknowingly) an integral part of the University's twin missions of teaching and research. As a 5-year old, after an intense morning of kindergarten with Mrs. Schoonover at Grant elementary, Stephen would head down to the university to indulge in his favorite pastime, watching backhoes move dirt to construct his future law school building at Hulston Hall.
Stephen attended Grant and Ridgeway elementary schools, was part of the first class to open Smithton Middle School, and finished out his Columbia Public Schools education at West Jr. and Hickman High School.
At Hickman, Stephen was a varsity soccer player and captain of the debate team, where he defeated now-Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a policy debate to win the District finals.
Stephen is an Eagle Scout from Boy Scout Troop 707, sponsored by the Calvary Episcopal Church. His formative time as a Patrol Leader in 707, and the brilliance of the Troop’s longtime Scoutmaster Greg Scott, still profoundly affect Stephen’s leadership style today. Stephen would later credit his ability to lead Marines in combat to the
leadership skills he developed as Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 707.
A History Of Defending Boone County
After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, Stephen answered the call to serve and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. As an infantry rifleman Stephen served two combat tours in Iraq, eventually earning the rank of Sargent. During his second tour Stephen led a 12 man squad through months of urban combat in the city of Fallujah.
Shortly after returning home Columbia elected Stephen as the youngest member of the Missouri House of Representatives, where he served the constitutionally mandated maximum of 8 years.
As a Representative Stephen earned a reputation as an active legislator who would fiercely defend his values. Stephen championed healthcare access, sponsored medicaid expansion, worked to fund the University of Missouri and fought to defend women's freedoms to make their own reproductive decisions. As the top Democrat on the labor committee Stephen was one of the most vocal advocates in Jefferson City for American workers and American jobs.
During his first race in 2008
Stephen openly campaigned on equal rights for the LGBTQ community. This was rare in 2008, especially for candidates outside of St. Louis and Kansas City. It so impressed the LGBTQ advocacy organization PROMO that they asked Stephen to carry their top legislative priority, the Missouri Non-Discrimination Act (MONA) to prevent workers being fired simply for being gay. Stephen proudly carried the legislation every year he was in the State House.
Getting Things Done For Missouri
During his tenure as Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party Stephen took the lead on fighting to ensure passage of successful statewide ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage, enact campaign finance reform, and defeat so called right-to-work.
As a Senator
Stephen is committed to fight to strengthen our public schools, make our communities safe, get guns out of the hands of criminals, protect medicaid expansion, reclaim a woman's freedom to choose, be an ally to the LGBTQ community, work to dismantle racial economic and health disparities, and always stand up for working families.
Today Stephen works at the Missouri AFL-CIO, the largest coalition of labor unions in Missouri. Everyday he fights relentlessly to make things better for the American worker and their family. He lives in Columbia with his two (very active and very spoiled) German Shepherds, Schatzi and Beo.
Stephen’s Boone Country roots run deep, and his commitment to fighting for what's right runs in his blood. We can trust that Stephen will never stop fighting for us.
"As Boone County’s Senator, I will work with anyone to defeat extremism, ensure a quality public education for our kids, restore women's right to choose, keep us safe, and create more economic opportunity for all of our workers, students and small businesses.”
- STEPHEN WEBBER, CANDIDATE FOR MO SENATE DISTRICT 19
Stephen Webber for Boone County
P.O. Box 7298 Columbia, MO 65205
Paid for by Webber for Boone County, Lisa McCaskill Finn, Treasurer