Tishaura Jones, Cara Spencer advance to St. Louis mayoral runoff | Politics

The dynamics of this year’s race changed dramatically in November when Krewson announced she wouldn’t seek a second term. Since then, she has stayed out of the maneuverings to succeed her, not endorsing any of the candidates.

Tishaura Jones and Spencer share views on some key issues. Both have pressed for a quicker closure of the city’s medium-security prison on Hall Street than has been favored lately by the more moderate Reed.

Spencer and Tishaura Jones also oppose a proposed aerial surveillance system aimed at fighting crime and were against leasing St. Louis Lambert International Airport to private companies.

Much of the friction in the primary campaign was between Spencer and Reed.

A Spencer ad asserted that Reed had led the city in the wrong direction during his two decades in office, citing “out of control” crime and accusing him of cronyism and corruption.

Reed, who is Black, complained that the ad for Spencer, who is white, used “a sad old racist trope” of blaming Black leaders for crime. A Reed ad then attacked Spencer’s commercial as divisive.

Tishaura Jones remained above their fray, trumpeting endorsements from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, and fellow Black elected officials from around the country. One of them, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, went door to door with her Sunday.