ST. LOUIS — Gabe Gore, the man Gov. Mike Parson appointed as St. Louis Circuit Attorney after Kim Gardner resigned, announced Wednesday he plans to run for election to keep the office in 2024.
Gore, who has been in office since June 1, held a press conference Wednesday to make the announcement on the steps of the courthouse. On Tuesday, Gore had a press conference announcing the progress he's made during his first six months in office and did not commit to whether he was going to seek a full term from voters.
“That consideration has increased and has taken on more prominence in recent weeks,” Gore said in the press conference one day before his formal announcement Wednesday. “I am doing the work to determine whether or not that's something that I want to pursue."
On Tuesday, Gore said the office had cleared thousands of backlogged cases and nearly doubled the number of attorneys working in the office.
“When I stood at this podium six months ago and spoke to you, I told you that we understood that failure was not an option in our effort to restore the Circuit Attorney’s Office’s critical role in the criminal justice system,” he said. “I report to you today that our office has retaken its place in the criminal justice system.”
Gore was appointed to the role in June after Gardner resigned amid investigations into her office.
Gardner can still run for office and said she planned to before her resignation. She has not returned phone calls from 5 On Your Side, so it’s unclear whether that’s still her plan.
Two other candidates have expressed interest in becoming the city's next top prosecutor, including local attorney David Mueller and former alderman Mike Gras.
Rosetta Okohson of MO Political Consulting is listed as Gore's campaign strategist. The firm has worked closely with Mayor Tishaura Jones's campaign and other Democratic candidates in the St. Louis region.
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