Friday, September 08, 2017

Newman endorses Joplin native for Second District Congressional seat

(From Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis)

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am excited to announce my support for Cort VanOstran for Congress, Missouri 2nd District.

As a co-chair of his campaign along with Charles Burson, former chief of staff for Vice President Al Gore, we desperately need Cort in Congress. Cort and his experienced campaign team know the challenges of this congressional race against Ann Wagner who currently represents MO-2. However, we all believe strongly he can win. 

(Photo: Stacey Newman with Cort VanOstran and his siblings- From left, Collin VanOstran, Cort VanOstran, Stacey Newman, Callie VanOstran)

Cort is a family friend and I know you will be as impressed as I am with his story, his focus and serious commitment to issues which I know you care about as deeply as I do.

Cort was raised by a single mom in Joplin after his father, a flight paramedic died when he was eight years old. In a close knit extended family fueled by integrity and hard work, his mother taught school raising him along with his younger brother and sister.

He decided when he was 12 years old he was going to go to Harvard, and so he did with the help of national scholarships. After graduating from Harvard with honors, he came back to Missouri for law school at Washington University in St. Louis where he served as President of the Student Bar Association and received the Dean’s Leadership and Honor Scholar awards. In the meantime he helped his grandmother rebuild after her house was destroyed in the 2011 Joplin tornado – which is what family does.

After clerking for U.S. District Judges Audrey Fleissig and John Ross in the Eastern District of Missouri, Cort is now an attorney with Gray, Ritter and Graham in St. Louis.

Cort is serious about progressive issues and standing up for people. I first met Cort when he interviewed me looking for a serious campaign for which to volunteer and was impressed working with him in the State Capitol during his law school internship with former Senator Jolie Justus.

Cort intimately understands protecting healthcare coverage for all Missourians after tragically losing his mother to cancer after a long illness less than a year ago. In fact, it’s his number one issue and knows firsthand that healthcare access is key for everyone.

He understands protecting public education and regularly mentors at the Missouri Scholars Academy. Following in his mother’s footsteps, he lectures first year law students at Washington University School of Law and supervises the Marshall Brennan Constitutional Literary Project, a community partnership that places law students in public high schools to teach constitutional law. He is also a fabulous mentor and role model to his brother and sister still in college.

Cort is also adamant about protecting constitutional reproductive rights, preventing gun violence and standing up for voters rights which have long been my legislative focus as well.

We need Cort in Congress. Period.

Please join my husband Burt and me in supporting Cort VanOstran for Congress.

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