I am Joan VonDras, a candidate for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District, and I approved this advertisement.
Joan VonDras, an elementary school teacher for more than 30 years in the Parkway and Clayton school districts, has announced her candidacy for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District as a Constitutional Democrat.
“As an educator, I’ve spent decades listening to families, and what I hear is clear: We can do better,” VonDras said. “Washington is broken because we’ve stopped talking to each other. We need to bridge the divide, take the politics out of Washington and start having real conversations again.” VonDras founded “Town Talks Live,” a series of free workshops, to achieve these goals.
“These conversations are about listening first and moving beyond party lines,” she said. “Our democracy was built on open dialogue, not division. If we want to move forward, we must start talking — and listening — again.”
VonDras launched “Town Talks Live” to confront what she sees as one of the biggest threats facing the country: a growing inability to have civil conversations. She uses this same workshop format for her “Policy Matters” town halls, which she believes fulfill the role of a town hall: bringing the community together for conversations that matter to said community. Hosted in libraries and community spaces across the region, these town halls bring people together to engage directly, without scripts, spin or party talking points. The goal is simple but urgent: bridge the divide by rebuilding the muscle of listening, challenging ideas respectfully and finding common ground. In a time when national politics often fuels division, VonDras creates spaces that do the opposite, because she believes solutions don’t come from shouting; they come from conversation. During the first three of these town halls, conducted around District 2, VonDras gathered constituents together to discuss the top policies and issues they wanted addressed, such as healthcare affordability, energy and AI. She has used these topics to develop topics for future town halls.
While her background in education shaped her, VonDras’ qualifications go far beyond the classroom. For decades, she has led diverse groups, secured funding, built programs from the ground up and worked with families from every background and belief system. She understands how to navigate complexity, bring people together and move ideas into action — skills she thinks Washington currently lacks. At a moment when trust in leadership is low and gridlock is high, VonDras positions herself as a candidate who doesn’t just talk about bridging the divide — she’s been doing the work her entire career.
VonDras’ belief in connection and leadership started early. Her mother was a teacher, and her father, a principal, opened seven schools in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. School is also where she met Roch, her husband of 30 years.
“I believe education is the foundation of our democracy,” she said. “I see hope in this moment. People don’t want this dysfunction and contempt. They want better. This campaign isn’t politics as usual; it’s politics as it can be.”
That same philosophy drives her campaign.
“A representative should listen first — then act,” she said. “That’s how you truly represent people.” VonDras invites constituents to share input on the district’s biggest challenges at .
Her priorities include:
- Building economic opportunity by strengthening American manufacturing, protecting union jobs and preparing the workforce for the future of industry and technology
- Restoring Missouri schools to excellence, improving the state’s ranking of 31st out of 50
- Expanding access to affordable, high-quality healthcare
- Seeking a seat on the House Agricultural Committee to protect the nation’s food and water supply
- Strengthening representative democracy by upholding citizen-approved amendments, supporting the Equal Rights Amendment and codifying Roe v. Wade
- Breaking through gridlock by joining the Problem Solvers Caucus to prioritize solutions over partisanship
For more information on upcoming events or to learn more, visit .
