Following a recent candidate forum the News Tribune held at Jefferson City Hall, the newspaper sent additional questions to the candidates, some reader-submitted, that had not been asked during the forum.
Here are the responses from the Democratic candidates for the Missouri Senate's 6th District seat. The district covers seven counties: Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Miller, Maries, Osage and Gasconade.
In the order they are listed on the ballot, the candidates are Bryan Struebig, of Eldon; Nicole Thompson, of Jefferson City; and Mollie Freebairn, of Jefferson City.
The winner of the Aug. 7 primary will face Republican Mike Bernskoetter and Libertarian Steven Wilson, both of Jefferson City, in the Nov. 6 general election. Bernskoetter and Wilson have no opponents in the primary and, therefore, have not been included in this story.
The candidates' responses are posted in the order they appear on the Aug. 7 ballot.
Answers may have been edited for length and clarity.
From reader Wayne Lee: What would you do to be accessible to your constituents?
Struebig: Town halls, regular office hours, meet-and-greets for coffee and doughnuts are a great way to meet with constituents. However, that leaves a lot of working families out of the loop, as many people work during those times. So perhaps we can look at doing evening Skype sessions or other virtual meetings.
Thompson: As a candidate, I have been open to phone calls, emails and have even answered voter questions over Facebook Messenger. I will continue to have an open-door policy as a state senator.
Freebairn: I am enchanted by the breathtaking countryside of the seven counties of Senate District 6. Between the delightful people and historic towns, rivers, lakes, parks, pubs, shops, dining, fishing, hunting, camping, trails, wonders of nature, music, festivals (and) farmers markets, there is so much to see and do. I would get out to see them every chance I get, on listening tours, Rock Island Trail bicycle rides, brainstorming on more exciting ways to open the countryside. I also encourage them to visit our magnificent Missouri Capitol, the crowning jewel of Jefferson City, one of the most beautiful cities in America.