On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Rep. Jaclyn Zimmermann reflects on her first year in the Missouri House and her expectations for what could be a turbulent 2026 session.
Zimmermann said Democrats can gain ground in western St. Louis County, which has become much more competitive since Donald Trump came on the political scene. Democrats came close to capturing two St. Louis County-based seats held by Republicans in 2024 but fell short by small margins.
Zimmermann represents the 98th District, which takes in cities like Manchester and Twin Oaks. The Democratic attorney won her race in 2024 for the seat that’s historically been in GOP hands but has trended toward the Democrats in recent years.
Here’s what else Zimmermann discussed on the program:
- She was somewhat taken aback by how chaotic the Missouri Capitol can be, especially coming from a legal background. But she said she was able to learn the legislative process and forge relationships with people who can help push policy changes.
- Zimmermann was not surprised that Republicans have sought to overturn a 2024 abortion rights amendment. Zimmerman expects that the fight over whether abortion should remain legal in Missouri will continue for some time.
- She said she was surprised that Republicans decided to go forward with redrawing Missouri’s congressional districts at the behest of President Donald Trump. She said the GOP could face a backlash for that effort if opponents of the new map obtain enough signatures to place the redistricting plan up for a statewide vote.
- Since strengthening public education is one of her major goals, Zimmermann said she’s strongly opposed to providing $50 million in state funds to education savings accounts. They can be used for private school scholarships, which is something Zimmermann says will ultimately weaken public schools.
Zimmermann is a native of Steelville in Crawford County. After getting her law degree from the University Missouri-Kansas City, Zimmerman moved to St. Louis County. She ended up running for the seat after Rep. Deb Lavender was term-limited out of office – defeating Republican Carol Veillette by about 900 votes.
Zimmermann serves on committees handling professional registration and licensing, crime and public safety, ethics and tourism.
