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Anthony Walker (politician)

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Anthony Walker
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 58th District
In office
March 29, 2002 – January 8, 2003
Preceded byLouis Ford
Succeeded byRodney Hubbard
Personal details
Born
Anthony Walker

(1965-02-11) February 11, 1965 (age 59)
Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationLiverpool High School
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Academy

Anthony Earl "Ford" Walker (born February 11, 1965) is an American politician, administrator, and sheriff deputy who served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 58th district for a brief period between April 2002 and January 2003.[1]

Early life and career

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Anthony Walker was born February 11, 1965, in Queens, New York and attended Liverpool High School.[2] His mother Ida Ford, married Louis Ford who had represented the 58th district from 1982 until 2002.[1][3] His sister is former St. Louis City Alderman and former DNC delegate April Ford-Griffin.[3]

Prior to his election, Walker was a sheriff's deputy within the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, having graduated from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Academy.[2]

Missouri State House

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Special election and tenure

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His stepfather, Louis Ford, resigned from office 9 months in advance in order to bypass term limits and allowed Walker to be elected in a special election.[4] At the Democratic Party's nominating convention, Walker defeated state government employee Rodney Hubbard for the nomination.[4] Walker used his father's last name as a nickname in order to take advantage of voter familiarity.[4] He faced former Democrat and community activist Isaiah Hair Jr. in the general election, winning on March 26 with over 75% of the vote..[4] Walker was on a total of six committees and sponsored zero bills during his nine-month tenure.[2]

August Democratic primary

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Rodney L. Hubbard was the first individual to consider a potential primary challenge to Walker,[4] and entered the race shortly before the special election.[5] Ford drew a total of two other primary challengers, those being former St. Louis School Board member and perennial candidate Bill Haas, businesswoman and educator Paris Bouchard Relator.[6][7] The St. Louis Post Dispatch endorsed Relator, naming her the "strongest candidate".[6] Isaiah Hair Jr. was again the Republican nominee.[7]

Paris Bouchard Relator unsuccessfully attempted to contest the results, claiming that there were irregularities in the results.[8] She lost the challenge to the results.[8] Hubbard won the general election with 89% of the vote.

Electoral history

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March 26, 2002 Missouri House of Representatives District 58 special election[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony "Ford" Walker 250 75.76%
Republican Isaiah Hair Jr. 80 24.24%
Total votes 330 100%
2002 Missouri House of Representatives District 58, Democratic Primary[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rodney Hubbard 1,266 34.83%
Democratic Paris Bouchard Relator 1,226 33.73%
Democratic Anthony "Ford" Walker 784 21.57%
Democratic Bill Haas 359 9.88%
Total votes 3,635 100%

References

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  1. ^ a b "Anthony "Ford" Walker". OurCampaigns. 2016-09-26. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  2. ^ a b c "Rep. Anthony Walker - 91st General Assembly". Missouri State House. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30.
  3. ^ a b "April Ford Griffen". Social Policy Institute at the Washington University in St. Louis. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  4. ^ a b c d e Schlinkmann, Mark (2002-02-15). "Ex-lawmaker's stepson faces election challenge". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Schlinkman, Mark (2002-03-25). "Ford family's political power faces challenge in special state house election". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "August Primary for Missouri House". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2002-07-31. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-10-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Area candidates who have filed for Missouri, U.S. House, and Senate offices". St. Louis Dispatch. 2002-03-30. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Missouri ex Rel. Bouchard v. Grady, 86 S.W.3d 121". Missouri Court of Appeals. Retrieved 2024-09-30 – via Casetext.
  9. ^ "State Representative District 58" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. 2002-03-29. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  10. ^ "MO State House 058 - Special Election". OurCampaigns. 2008-08-23. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  11. ^ "August 2002 Primary elections" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. 2002-08-21. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  12. ^ "MO State House 058 - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Archived from the original on 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-09-30.