In a close call, The Star endorses this KC Democrat in Missouri House primary
Democratic voters in Missouri House District 36 will choose Tuesday between two qualified candidates with similar views but limited experience in elective office.
Laura Loyacono is challenging state Rep. Mark Sharp in what has become a contentious Democratic primary. Sharp won a special election last year to replace Kansas City Democrat DaRon McGee, who resigned from the House of Representatives in April 2019 amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Loyacono founded nonprofit KC STEM Alliance to promote STEM education in area schools, and her résumé also includes a 13-year-tenure at the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures, where she worked with lawmakers from around the country.
“I have 30 years of experience in public policy,” Loyacono said. “I have more than 21 years living and working as a professional here in Kansas City. I believe that my record and my reputation stand.”
Very little separates the candidates on policy questions. Both champion Medicaid expansion, economic development in south Kansas City, commonsense gun reform and a renewed focus on reducing violent crime.
One of Loyacono’s top priorities if she were elected to the House would be to fight for election reform and more funding for K-12 and higher education, areas hit hard by budget cuts in recent years.
Sharp understands well the needs of House District 36, which covers south Kansas City from State Line to Raytown roads, and he could be a strong advocate for the area. The son of former Kansas City Council Member John Sharp, Mark Sharp was born and raised in the district and has seen firsthand the economic strife and gun violence that have decimated the area.
The first-time state representative and graduate of Hickman Mills High School has a future in politics. He won 74% of the vote in last November’s special general election to fill McGee’s seat. But poor judgment could hinder his ambitions for higher office.
Sharp’s past misogynistic comments and homophobic slurs on social media resurfaced this year. He then apologized for referring to women as “meat” in 2011 and for writing in 2012 about “homo shyt” in reference to coaches molesting young men.
“When I was 24-25, I said things on Facebook that were stupid, dumb, uninformed and politically incorrect,” Sharp told The Star in June.
His initial expression of regret was a step in the right direction. But in an interview with The Star Editorial Board, Sharp struck a defensive posture, saying his statements had been mischaracterized in published reports.
If Sharp was misunderstood — he wasn’t, his words were in black and white — why did he initially apologize? The nearly decade-old posts themselves weren’t necessarily disqualifying, and Sharp’s brief tenure in the House has been scandal-free.
But his subsequent attempts to explain away and parse what were undeniably offensive statements were disappointing. In The Star Editorial Board interview, Sharp also lodged a nonsensical attack on Loyacono, suggesting that she had posted something equally inappropriate on social media (spoiler alert: not true).
Voters will find two promising candidates on the ballot in this Democratic primary. While Sharp brings deep knowledge of the district to the race, Loyacono’s public policy experience and temperament earn her The Star’s endorsement in a close call.