Primary Election Date: 08/03/2010
General Election Date: 11/02/2010

Who Am I?

Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Progressive Democrat, represents part of St. Louis County in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to the House in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008.

In 2002, Rep. Chappelle-Nadal was one of sixteen national fellows chosen by the National Organization for Black Elected Legislative/Women (NOBEL/Women) and the Center for American Women in Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University. She is a former participant of the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life (2004) and the Neighborhood Leadership Academy (2002) at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Rep. Chappelle-Nadal worked for former Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell in 2000, as the Director of Communications. Rep. Chappelle-Nadal later chose to serve as Missouri's Senior Advocate. There she successfully helped shepherd legislation such as the Senior Care and Protection Act of 2003 and the Missouri Senior Rx Generic Drug Rebate.

In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Chappelle-Nadal is formerly an endorsed candidate for Democracy for America. Memberships include: Young Democrats of Missouri, Women in the Neighborhood, the Institute for Peace and Justice, and a former member of the Democratic National Committee.

Rep. Chappelle-Nadal received a dual degree in Political Science and Sociology from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Why Am I Running?

I’m running to continue the tradition of excellent representation for the people of my diverse and vibrant area. I have been fortunate to serve three terms in the state’s House of Representatives, fighting for our progressive ideals and becoming one of a few Democratic officials to sponsor legislation adopted by the Republican-controlled General Assembly. The state senate position I am running for in this campaign, an open-seat because of term limits, is a natural progression and a fantastic opportunity to further my work on behalf of all Missourians.

My main goal during my campaign and in this office is a simple, but an important one. I seek to build coalitions of Missourians concerned with bringing change and progress to our state. Working together with a diverse group of supporters and partners, I will fight to advance causes such as public education, health care, social programs, and civil rights, including environmental justice.

Hold Me Accountable!

The most important issue facing my constituents today is the same as the rest of the country: the economy. Everyday Missourians have been hit hard by the recession. Many have lost their homes and many more have lost their jobs or had their hours scaled back. We need to tackle this problem before we can do anything else. To do so, I plan on continuing my efforts to improve Missouri’s economy. I favor creating incentives for business owners to hire new workers, extending benefits for those who have lost their jobs and promoting local small businesses, so the heart of our economy can begin beating strongly again.

Additionally, both my constituents and I are passionate about the issue of education. Our workforce tomorrow can only be as good as the educational opportunities we offer to our children and college students today. I’ll address this issue by continuing my advocacy for our state’s educational system and fighting actions that would damage it. This issue is near to my heart and I’ve taken the extra step of running for local school board, to ensure I can play an active role in the system within my own community.

Finally, health care reform is another important issue for my constituents. While much of the current debate has centered on events in Washington, state and local governments play a vital role in the process. As State Representative, I have worked to educate citizens on health care resources available to everyone, insured or uninsured. In the Senate, I’ll fight to ensure every Missourian has access to affordable coverage and work to restore cuts to the state’s Medicaid program and ensure that SCHIP is fully funded. During my public career, equalizing the playing field and funding source for seniors wanting to stay in their homes as they age has always been at the forefront of my efforts. While it is both a practical and economical to invest in funding for in-home care our seniors deserve a compassionate government.

My DFA values:

I have been proud to partner with Democracy for America since my very first campaign. I have benefited from the training, organization and general support that DFA provides. Our approaches are one in the same and, together, they move Missouri and our entire country forward.

I firmly believe that success lies in building coalitions of engaged and motivated citizens. Bringing people together to advance progressive ideals is the only way we can overcome the entrenched, deep-pocketed interests that seek only to preserve the status quo. Our progressive principles, both social and economic, are our country’s obvious future, but we often require a boost to bring them about. By working with my campaign, and others like it, DFA accelerates the change that we bring forth both within and with our country’s government.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

I learned long ago that successful political efforts are built from the bottom up. My first three campaigns were centered on meeting with voters face-to-face and learning what they felt was important. From door-knocking, to phone-banking, to coffees across the district, I engaged in a dialogue with the community that ensured my efforts reflected what the people I wanted in a representative. This campaign is no different!

Additionally, I have made it a point to strengthen my fundraising efforts with contributions from the people I actually represent. My campaign continually reaches out to real people in the district, not well-connected lobbyists and industries outside of it, asking them to donate to my efforts and making them invested partners in the campaign.

Please feel free to visit my public Facebook page.