Mitchell Kohlberg

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Mitchell Kohlberg

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 4, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Missouri Baptist University

Personal

Birthplace

St. Louis, Mo.

Religion

Christianity

Profession

Law enforcement

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Mitchell Kohlberg (Republican Party) ran for election to the Missouri State Senate to represent District 1. He lost in the Republican primary on August 4, 2020.

Kohlberg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Mitchell Kohlberg was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Baptist University. Kohlberg’s career experience includes working in law enforcement.

Elections

2020

See also: Missouri State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Missouri State Senate District 1

Doug Beck defeated David Lenihan in the general election for Missouri State Senate District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Doug Beck (D)	55.4	54,095
	Submit photo	David Lenihan (R)	44.6	43,495

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 97,590
= 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

Democratic primary for Missouri State Senate District 1

Doug Beck advanced from the Democratic primary for Missouri State Senate District 1 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Doug Beck	100.0	26,601

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,601 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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

Republican primary for Missouri State Senate District 1

David Lenihan defeated Mitchell Kohlberg in the Republican primary for Missouri State Senate District 1 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	David Lenihan	66.1	7,299
		Mitchell Kohlberg	33.9	3,744

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,043 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Mitchell Kohlberg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kohlberg's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Raised in a single parent household, I understand the firsthand struggles one experiences growing up in a single mother household. While working in Law Enforcement, I recognize the obstacles living paycheck to paycheck. I realize as a father of three the difficulties parents face in education and in their healthcare choices. When elected, I will work tirelessly to ensure everyone has a guarantee to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Because when Missouri families can succeed, our communities thrive.

My goals for Missouri:

• Parents to have control over their child's education and location. • Strong STEM and Vocational Education • Upfront pricing on medical procedures and treatment • Patient-centered healthcare system • Pro 2nd Amendment and against Red Flag laws • Lower taxes and minimize government regulations on the individual • Pro-Life with belief in a stronger family structure in our society • Against County/City Merger

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?

• Parental Rights
• Limited government
• Oppose County/City Merger

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Parental rights when it comes to the education and medical needs of their child.

Upholding the Missouri Constitution.

Limiting government bureaucracy in the lives of individuals and small businesses.

Enable more local control and accountability with in local governments.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up God, I have been blessed with an amazing family and wonderful friends. I wake up everyday knowing I have three children watching my every move on how to act in the world and how to treat another person.

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

The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Two Treatises of Government by John Locke

The Spirit of Law by Charles Montesquieu

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty

Integrity

Professionalism

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

Personable

Honesty
Integrity

Professionalism

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To uphold the state constitution.
Remember he/she serves in the best interest of the district.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want my children to have a better life than myself and I want to leave my community in a better shape for other families.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Terrorist Attack on 9/11. I was a Junior in High School and I remember the teacher rolling in the television and turned it on when the second plane hit the second tower.

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

Fast food cashier at a local fast food restaurant

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Baby Shark

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

I believe every representative and senator wants the best for their region and believes in a specific direction for the state. The difference with each elected officials direction for not only the state but their district is the details in getting their. Some believe a community will prosper with less restrictions and regulations, while others believe more regulations and restrictions will produce a prosperous community.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No and the United States Congress is an example of that. I believe a person chooses to run for office because he/she sees a problem and wants to fix it. I believe our values in Missouri are slowly eroding with the lack of family structure, the increase in regulations/mandates, and laws that are not in line with the Missouri Constitution. The wonderful thing about the United States being a Constitutional Republic is that a father of three, with an idea for the direction of his state, can run for office and create a better state for his children to live in.

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

I believe over the next decade our state's greatest challenge is to not over regulate/mandate the lives of the individual and/or small businesses. This can be seen in the recent Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, 2nd Amendment restrictions, and limiting parental rights in education and health related issues.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

I believe they should be seen as separate but equal parts. The legislature is the representation of the people within the state and the governor is the chief executive of the state. Thus, the governor sets the direction for the state, while the legislature determines the way we get there.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

It is beneficial to build relationships, because these individuals are representatives of other residents in the state. It would be counter-productive to believe you are able to have a bill passed or heard in a room where everyone has equal say. However, elected officials should always remember that they represent their district and should act in the best interest of their district.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

• Fiscal Oversight

• General laws
• Education
• Government Reform
• Health and Pensions
• Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence
• Professional Registration
• Senior, Families and Children
• Small Business and Industry

• Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I would if the opportunity presents itself. I would serve in any role that would be beneficial to my district.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

No

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I plan to start law school after my Master's is complete. Therefore, within the next decade, I hope to run for County Prosecutor or state Attorney General.

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?

All have been impactful and memorable. They have all been about how the bureaucracy within the system has an extreme bias and those who do not fit within the mold are having a hard time making decision regarding their child's education or health. I have also heard stories about how the rights of privacy are being eroded in the name of "public safety and/or public health."

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

2020 Elections

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Government

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External links

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Missouri State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Tony Luetkemeyer

Minority Leader:Doug Beck

Senators

District 1

Doug Beck (D)

District 2

Nick Schroer (R)

District 3

Mike Henderson (R)

District 4

Karla May (D)

District 5

Steve Roberts (D)

District 6

Mike Bernskoetter (R)

District 7

Patty Lewis (D)

District 8

Mike Cierpiot (R)

District 9

Barbara Washington (D)

District 10

Travis Fitzwater (R)

District 11

Joe Nicola (R)

District 12

Rusty Black (R)

District 13

Angela Mosley (D)

District 14

Brian Williams (D)

District 15

David Gregory (R)

District 16

Justin Brown (R)

District 17

Maggie Nurrenbern (D)

District 18

Cindy O'Laughlin (R)

District 19

Stephen Webber (D)

District 20

Curtis Trent (R)

District 21

Kurtis Gregory (R)

District 22

Mary Coleman (R)

District 23

Adam Schnelting (R)

District 24

Tracy McCreery (D)

District 25

Jason Bean (R)

District 26

Ben Brown (R)

District 27

Jamie Burger (R)

District 28

Sandy Crawford (R)

District 29

Mike Moon (R)

District 30

Lincoln Hough (R)

District 31

Rick Brattin (R)

District 32

Jill Carter (R)

District 33

Brad Hudson (R)

District 34

Tony Luetkemeyer (R)

Republican Party (24)

Democratic Party (10)