Gene McNary

Well, and people probably don't realize that St. Louis County has been led by a Democrat county executive for over 40 years.

The last Republican to serve as a county executive was Gene McNary.

Right.

Gene was elected 40 years ago this year.

No, you're good.

So I've worked on several of the St. Louis County Exec Races, going back to Gene McNary's attempt to come back into the fold many years ago.

It was a midterm, it was an off-year election race.

It was an 06, so it was expected, you know, hopefully to be a Low turnout, so maybe older people, higher-intensity voters are going to get out.

Well, thank you for having me, Sarah.

So thinking about you coming in today, I realized the last Republican county executive was Gene McNary.

This goes back.

Almost 40 years ago.

Because since 91, the Democrats have held the county executive's office.

But people my age remember, I mean, we remember people like Gene McNary and others.

We remember a time when Republicans actually led the county executive's office, right? So I think when you've got a sitting county council member running for the seat who has the ability to speak to the moment, and a sitting assessor from a different party, I think this is going to be an interestingly competitive race.

I know that for so long people have assumed that St. Louis County was somehow just monolithically democratic.