St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman is running for county executive, ensuring a Democratic primary for the post.
Zimmerman announced Thursday he would forgo running for reelection as assessor and instead seek the open county executive post. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said late last year he would not run for another term, marking the first time in decades an incumbent won’t be on the ballot.
“This is an incredibly important moment for our region,” Zimmerman said. “And after all the mess in St Louis County government, all of the bickering and the goofiness and frankly, the incompetence, I think it's time we had some real leadership.”
Before being elected to the assessor’s post in 2011, Zimmerman served in the Missouri House in the mid-2000s and the early 2010s. He ran for county executive in the 2020 Democratic primary, finishing third behind Page and businessman Mark Mantovani.
Zimmerman said he could be a change from a county political culture that’s been beset with bickering and infighting for more than a decade. He added that voters have become disillusioned after former County Executive Steve Stenger went to federal prison and Page’s support on the county council collapsed throughout his tenure.
“This is the moment where we decide if we want to be governed by adults who are going to move things forward and get us back to basics, or whether we're going to keep playing the same games,” he said.
State Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, entered the county executive contest last year before Page bowed out. County Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton, is also running for the post.
Williams recently received the backing of groups representing police and firefighters after Page left the contest. Williams spokesman Ed Rhode said in a statement that St. Louis County “is facing a real affordability challenge, and taxpayers want fresh leadership focused on solutions, not the past.”
Because he serves as assessor, Zimmerman could face campaign attacks for rising property taxes throughout his tenure in office.
Asked about that potential criticism, Zimmerman said: “If what you're looking for is a slick politician, I am probably not your guy. If what you're looking for is somebody who has the guts to do what's right and let the chips fall where they may, then maybe I am your guy.”
Whoever succeeds Page will face a difficult financial situation, especially since the county has dealt with a widening budgetary gap that’s threatened to deplete its reserves.
