We have all come to our current political place through different paths. We may have been directly affected by an issue, want to leave a better country for our kids and grandkids, or are just fascinated by the political process and want to dive in headfirst through things like blogging, writing, or YouTube videos. But in our own backyard, there is always at least one or two people who stand out. They might guide us through the murky waters of politics in the form of a mentor, or they are always the ones putting in the work behind the scenes. I have been lucky enough to have known both.
Many Americans know national politics but have never attended a school board meeting.
— Citizens Defending Freedom (@cdfusa) February 18, 2026
Local government affects your family directly.
As far as a mentor goes, it would hands down be Martin Baker. Martin and I met at one of the first St. Louis Tea Party events I attended in 2010. We hit it off right away. He was a fixture in the black conservative community and also ran for Congress. Soon, whenever there was any kind of Republican or conservative event going on, we were there. Martin is my dearest friend in the world, and the most fun part about that is watching him work a room. There is no one in the local Republican community he doesn't know, coming from years of cultivating friendships. Because of that, it literally takes him half an hour to get across a room because there are so many people who want to shake his hand and slap him on the back. Martin has taught me the importance of networking and making those connections. You never know when they will come in handy.
READ MORE: The Local Revolution: Why Saving America Starts on Your Street
Which brings me to one of those behind-the-scenes people. Often, people play a part in our lives, and like a lot of other things in life, we don't realize how much until they are no longer there. We hear the term "grassroots" all the time, but for me and my political journey, no one embodied that term more than June Schmidt, one of the co-founders of the North St. Louis County Republican Club. June passed away on Monday after a lengthy battle with cancer.
If I had to describe June with one word, it would be "powerhouse." There was no candidate or issue affecting the St. Louis region that June didn't at least know a little bit about. She knew who was running for state rep. or state senator in every district. She knew where Republicans needed to be on the ballot. She knew about issues that would or could be on Missouri ballots for all of 2026, and she had the ear of many local and state politicians. At the time of her passing, she was organizing school board candidate forums for the two school districts that serve North St. Louis County.
Not only do I have a farm but am involved in our local county politics. I have spent a couple of hours writing a speech I will be giving tonight at our County Board of Commissioners.
— Lisa A Pierce (@LisaLp23) February 10, 2026
I will highly encourage everyone to be involved in what is happening in your city and county. pic.twitter.com/16uHh03Tzl
The last time I saw her was at the January meeting. It didn't look good. She said that while she wasn't feeling good, she felt better just getting out of the house. It was her passion for making where she lived a better place that kept her going. And amazingly enough, she was still working as a tax preparer as the busiest time of the year approached.
She knew she was going to have to let go of some of what she did for the club. I was honored when she asked me if I would help with the school board forum and if I would be willing to take over some of her club secretarial duties. I asked if she could email me with what I needed to do. Sadly, I never got that email. As we talked, she said that she was gratified that the club had grown as much as it had over the years, saying, "I'm the matriarch." She certainly was. My colleagues and I spend much of our time writing about national politics. It might seem like a "duh" kind of moment, but it's people like June who remind us that, indeed, "all politics is local," and that a lot of those national issues and candidates get their start right here at home.
I don't know yet if I will be taking over some of June's duties as club secretary. I like to think I'm smart enough to realize that June's shoes are almost impossible to fill. Her knowledge and commitment to St. Louis and Missouri are things that don't come along often. Thanks, June, for being that inspiration behind the scenes. We'll take it from here.
Missouri lawmakers are quickly advancing a bill to overhaul local property tax elections and allow districts to silo different categories of property. https://t.co/2GtyvWxLqD pic.twitter.com/cl2QZgzkhE
— Tax Notes (@TaxNotes) February 18, 2026
