Editor’s note: This article is based on our candidate questionnaire, which Crump did not return by the original deadline due to communication limitations. We conducted an interview to allow him to address the same questions posed to Beck, whose responses were published in the Oct. 24 edition of The Call.
First District Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, is being challenged in the general election on Nov. 5 by Republican Robert Crump.
This is not the first time Crump has run for office. He previously ran for the House of Representatives’ 82nd District in 2016, 2020 and 2022, but was defeated. In 2018, he ran for Missouri’s 4th Senate District, but was unsuccessful in that race.
Crump said that he is seeking office because he is “concerned about the moral decline in America.”
“I believe the basis of our society is a strong family, and I think that there’s a certain element of the Democratic party that is attacking that,” Crump said in an interview with The Call. “I think if we get back to the basics of God and the 10 Commandments, we’re going to have a happier, more prosperous society … that would include a family with one man, married to one woman … I hope to be the spokesperson for traditional family values in Senate District 1.”
The most important issue in the race to Crump is abortion. Voters will also decide on Amendment 3 on Tuesday, which would amend the state constitution to establish abortion rights.
“I think abortion is a terrible crime against humanity and that the only realistic option to abortion is adoption. Whether abortion is legal or not, even the proponents of abortion should be willing to propose the possibility … the preferable option that I would call it, of adoption,” Crump said. “Abortion always kills children … I hope Amendment No. 3 is defeated, I am thoroughly opposed to Amendment 3.”
Other issues in the race that Crump perceives are the Second Amendment, taxes and immigration.
“I support the Second Amendment. I believe that gun owners are responsible citizens … Guns themselves are not the problem. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. We have a mental health crisis, we have to do something about that,” he said. “Another point in my platform is that I am opposed to any effort to increase taxes. We need to end the state income tax.”
As for immigration, Crump said, “We need to encourage immigration, but let’s encourage it the right way. You enter the country through the proper channel, you shouldn’t just cross borders illegally.”
Crump’s platform includes a “three-pronged” approach to education. While he believes public education should be supported, he also believes in school choice, vouchers and encouraging more families to homeschool.
“(Public education) is largely failing in many parts of our country … families are choosing to educate their children at home … We ought to encourage that,” Crump said. “Also, we ought to encourage the growth of private and parochial schools … I am in favor of vouchers … I think public education, how it is now, is not functioning properly.”