The 50th Legislative Democratic Committee selected Michela Skelton on Monday as its candidate for the newly vacated 50th House District seat in the Missouri House of Representatives.
The seat was held by Caleb Jones in the state House. Although Jones, R-Columbia, a native of California, was re-elected to the seat in November with no opposition, he resigned after Gov. Eric Greitens appointed him deputy chief of staff. Before he left office, Gov. Jay Nixon set a special election on Aug. 8 to fill the seat.
Skelton, 31, an attorney, resides in Boone County with her husband, Chris Birk, and children Theo and Ella. She has a bachelor's degree in political science and a masters in political administration from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Skelton has a law degree from Washington University, St. Louis, is chair of the Missouri Democratic Women's Caucus and a former attorney for the Missouri Senate. She is also a longtime volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and is active in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia.
"I'm humbled and honored to represent the Democratic party in a special election that's critical for the future of the 50th District," Skelton said. "Instead of serving the needs of our communities, our government is prioritizing the desires of the wealthy, special interests and lobbyists. My campaign for state representative is about standing up for all those left behind and creating an economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthiest few in our state."
State law requires the district committee to formally nominate a candidate within two weeks of being notified of a vacancy. The 50th District Committee is made up of Moniteau, Boone, Cole and Cooper counties. Gail Hughes, California, is the chair of the committee and of the Moniteau County Democratic Central Committee.
"We need a leader in Jefferson City who will finally make working people and their needs a priority," Hughes said. "Michaela is a person of tremendous character and integrity, and is committed to fighting back against this broken system to create a better future for our district's families.