Mary Ann Perkins is knocking on doors across Ballwin this fall, hoping to do what no Democrat has managed in Missouri House District 100 in recent memory: actually win it. The district has elected Republican Philip Oehlerking twice, and Perkins is betting that suburban voters are ready to send someone new to Jefferson City.
Oehlerking's two victories were razor-thin by any standard. As reported by St. Louis Magazine, he won his last two races, and the Missouri Secretary of State shows a 181-vote win in 2022 (8,315 to 8,134). Oehlerking defeated Democrat Colin Lovett in 2024. Lovett decided not to run again this cycle, and Perkins entered the race after he stepped aside, according to the same account.
The numbers underlying District 100 point to a split-ticket electorate. Missouri voters approved Amendment 3 in 2024, with the measure passing statewide with 52 percent of the vote, according to Ballotpedia. Perkins is an abortion-rights activist, according to the St. Louis Magazine profile.
A Candidate Shaped By Two Decades Abroad
Perkins grew up in nearby Ellisville and now works in advancement for Washington University's Brown School, but her path to the ballot wound through a long stretch overseas. Before returning to St. Louis County, she spent two decades living abroad for her husband's job, working as a U.S. Department of Defense contractor in Germany and for the United Nations in Lebanon and Thailand, according to her campaign site, Mary Ann Perkins for Missouri. She is a mother of two, the St. Louis Magazine account notes.
Perkins facilitates a religious transition group at the Ethical Society of St. Louis. She is campaigning for the district's legislative seat as a Democrat.
Oehlerking Leans On Incumbency And Local Issues
Oehlerking, who holds degrees from St. Louis Community College and the University of Missouri-St. Louis and served as Vice Chair of the House Financial Institutions Committee during the 2025-2026 session according to Ballotpedia, is pitching himself as a representative. Having already been elected twice, he is the incumbent and a general-election candidate.
The Broader Fight For The Statehouse
Perkins' race is one piece of a much larger Democratic push in Missouri this cycle. Democrats are mounting a broader effort in Missouri. The Missouri House and Senate are both central to that effort.
Democrats are mounting a broader effort in Missouri, with the Missouri House and Senate both central to it. Statewide, Democrats are seeking gains in both chambers. Both Oehlerking and Perkins advanced unopposed from their August 4 primaries and will appear on the November 3 general election ballot alongside Libertarian nominee Ken Newhouse, according to Ballotpedia.
Knocking On Doors Near Ballwin
Perkins says she takes pride in being part of a broader cohort of Democratic candidates running across St. Louis County this cycle, and she is canvassing in the district. The St. Louis Magazine profile covers Perkins and the district.
