Betty Vining
Betty Vining (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent District 108. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Vining completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2018
General election
Incumbent Justin Hill defeated Betty Vining in the general election for Missouri House of Representatives District 108 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for Missouri House of Representatives District 108
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Justin Hill (R) | 61.4 | 11,097 |
 | Betty Vining (D)  | 38.6 | 6,967 | |
| Total votes: 18,064 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Betty Vining advanced from the Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 108 on August 7, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 108
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Betty Vining | 100.0 | 3,279 |
| Total votes: 3,279 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Justin Hill advanced from the Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 108 on August 7, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 108
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Justin Hill | 100.0 | 4,498 |
| Total votes: 4,498 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Betty Vining completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Vining's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
I am not in this for a career, but to make a difference. It is my belief that it is the role of our elected officials to serve the people and pass legislation that will improve their lives and the economic well-being of the state, not themselves. My priorities: 1. To make medical insurance affordable to all Missourians, starting by accepting the federal Medicaid supplement. 2. Ensuring that our public schools are fully funded, and 3. Listening to the will of the people and supporting Missouri's working families by opposing right to work.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about ensuring that all our citizens have access to affordable health care. This should be a right, not a privelege of birth, job, or economic status. High premiums and high deductibles, if you are lucky enough to be able to have insurance, make it likely that families will have to make difficult decisions about whether or not to see a doctor, cut back on needed medicine, or have a necessary procedure. Medical bills have become the number one cause of bankrupcy in the U.S. In a country as wealthy as ours, this is obscene. We can and will do better.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I look up to my parents, always have, always will. They taught me to treat people with respect and to always put yourself in others shoes. They were hard working, kind, and fun loving. They traveled all over the world for Dad's job, and never met a person they didn't like, or a country they didn't find fascinating.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
I think an officeholder needs to be honest and to realize that he/she is the representative of the people, there to try to make their lives better.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I have been a teaching professor of business at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for almost thirty years, touching over 8000 students. During that time I have worked with business leaders from multi-national corporations to develop programs designed to benefit the students, university and the community. I understand what makes an attractive business environment and intend to make sure Missouri has one of the best. I am also collegial. I like to bring people with different views together and find common ground. We will get more done for the people if we are less polarized and more civil. I am also tenacious. When a believe in something or someone I work for it. I will do that for my constituents, my community and my state.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
As a professor, I had many other professors with whom I worked and had to make policy. You have to have good relationships with people to work in a collegial manner. Legislators need to be able to work with one another to do the peoples business. As I've said, this polarized environment is not conducive to getting our job done.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
I am not interested in any other office. I am not in this for a career, I am in this to make a difference.
Both sitting legislators 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?
I do not, personally come from a union family. However, I am so moved by the stories of my retired union members who worked all their lives and attribute their ability to retire comfortably to the unions. One couple, in particular, two school janitors all their lives, worked hard and were able to retire in a lovely home on a pension and social security. Made me a believer.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
- State legislative elections, 2018
- Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Missouri House of Representatives
External links
Footnotes
