Missouri State Senate District 16 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Missouri, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Missouri State Senate District 16 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Missouri State Senate District 16

Incumbent Justin Brown defeated Tara Anura in the general election for Missouri State Senate District 16 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Justin Brown (R)	80.7	39,087
		Tara Anura (D)	19.3	9,363

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 48,450
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Tara Anura (D)

We need a system of guaranteed healthcare that prioritizes the well being of Americans over the profits of insurance companies and their billionaire executives.

Education is the backbone of democracy. Fully fund public schools to provide safe buildings, music and art classes, and fair teacher pay.

Diverse culture, ethnicity, religion, relationships and abilities makes America stronger. Equity is freedom from bias or favoritism.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Tara Anura (D)

Universal Healthcare. Early childhood literacy. Civil and Human Rights. Reproductive justice.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Tara Anura (D)

The short biography of Dolores Huerta. https://doloreshuerta.org/doloreshuerta/

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Tara Anura (D)

I will listen to the voices of my constituents especially when they vote on an issue. They voted for Medicaid expansion and I will fight to fund it. I will put their medical care, education, housing, and pay above corporations.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Tara Anura (D)

As a young teen, my sister and I babysat for a group of six children. One of those children was autistic and non-verbal. My cousin Jeff, who has down syndrome, is also non-verbal so I was able to make friends with the boy in my care. As an adult in Texas County, MO, I was a substitute para-professional and personal aid in public schools.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Tara Anura (D)

Asking an avid reader and library clerk to pick just one book is not possible. Currently, it's The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Tara Anura (D)

Updating and fortifying our infrastructures such as water, sewer, roads, buildings, and energy grid to be sustainable through the climate crisis.

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?

Tara Anura (D)

A high school senior who worked at Sonic in Texas County told me she was providing for herself and her disabled father. She was earning a minimum wage and they barely survived. An elderly woman had retired from her career but needed a part-time job to survive. Corporations and conservatives consider fast food to be unskilled labor for teens who only need low pay for fun activities. The reality is Missourians need a living wage, a higher wage, to afford food, shelter, utilities, and medical assistance.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Tara Anura (D)

Communication is necessary for desirable policymaking. The Missouri majority leadership though is compromising our lives by putting profit over people. I won't give an inch away of our civil and human rights.

See also

More about these elections:

• Missouri State Senate elections, 2022

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