For nearly 50 years, award-winning journalist Ray Hartmann has been in the public eye. Now, Hartmann is taking on a new adventure and running for Congress for the first time against Rep. Ann Wagner.
“I think we’re at a pivot point in politics and I want to do my part to change the tone and the substance of where we are headed as a country,” Hartmann said. “I think defending Roe v. Wade, defending women’s reproductive freedom and wanting to expand the Affordable Care Act, those are the kinds of issues that I think matter.”
Hartmann supports adding red flag laws in Missouri. Red flag laws allow a temporary removal of a gun from an unfit situation. Hartmann aims to make college more affordable and advocates for LGBTQ rights — an issue he’s reported on since the 1970s. He won the Reproductive Freedom Award from the Freedom of Choice Council for his advocacy on reproductive freedoms.
“I wrote and advocated for reproductive freedom before Roe v. Wade. For me, it’s a pretty simple proposition,” Hartmann said.
Hartmann started the Riverfront Times (RFT) at 24 years old. He was a newspaper writer in Albany for a year before writing speeches for former Gov. Kit Bond in the 1970s. Hartmann is an alumnus from Parkway Central High School and the University of Missouri in which he earned a bachelor’s in Journalism. Hartmann was also inducted into the Parkway Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 2012.
“As someone who has been in the media, my transparency, openness and accessibility are in my DNA. That’s what we do, that’s what we are about in the media,” Hartmann said. “I’m all about communication with the public.”
After over 20 years, Hartmann sold the RFT in 1998. Along with the RFT, Hartmann served as CEO and owner of St. Louis Magazine and was a panelist on the PBS show “Donnybrook” for nearly 40 years. “Donnybrook” features journalists discussing politics and issues along with hearing from St. Louisans on the issues they care about. During his time in journalism, Hartmann won awards such as the Missouri Press Association Gold Cup Award and was inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame.
Hartmann stepped down from his position on “Donnybrook” to run for Congress and is no stranger to political topics as they would frequently come up on the show.
One of the panelists that has been on “Donnybrook” with Hartmann is Alvin Reid. Reid has been with “Donnybrook” since 2010, spending over a decade on screen with Hartmann.
“Ray welcomed me and was always very nice to me when I was a guest and certainly when I was a regular on the show,” Reid said. “I’ve always appreciated his thoughts and everything he brought to the show.”
Reid said that Hartmann called him while he was at Soulard Market to say that he had resigned from “Donnybrook” to run for Congress.
“I’m biased, I wish there were more journalists that ran for office and will run because I think it would help the country,” Reid said.
Hartmann will appear on the ballot for House of Representatives District 2 in Missouri.
Webster Journal staff reached out to Rep. Ann Wagner’s scheduling team and did not hear a response.
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