Jones, Tishaura O. (Tishaura Oneda), 1972-

<p>Tishaura Oneda Jones (born March 10, 1972) is an American politician serving as the mayor of St. Louis, Missouri since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Jones was previously elected to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent the 63rd district in 2008, serving until 2013. She was Treasurer of St. Louis from 2013 to 2021.</p>

<p>Born in St. Louis to a former city comptroller, Jones studied at Hampton University in Virginia, returning to St. Louis upon graduating in 1994. Following a failed attempt to start a restaurant that left her bankrupt, she entered nursing, graduating from the Saint Louis University College for Public Health with a Master of Health Administration in 2001 and working for Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital for two years. Jones entered politics in 2002, when she was appointed to the Democratic Party Central Committee for St. Louis's eighth ward. In 2008, she successfully ran for the Missouri House of Representatives, being elected to represent the 63rd district over independent candidate Nels Williams with 85.4 percent of the vote. After running unopposed for re-election to the House in 2010, Jones ran for St. Louis Treasurer for the first time in 2012, and won the general election with 77.9 percent of the vote. She was re-elected as treasurer in 2016 and 2020.</p>

<p>As treasurer, Jones was credited with using the office, which had been widely regarded as an unimportant and scandal-ridden bureaucratic position, to start new programs in the city. These include a program that educates citizens on financial literacy, and a program that uses parking meter revenue to give public school kindergarten students a savings account to help them afford college education. Jones also received national attention for her responses to media criticism of her, most notably by The <i>St. Louis Post-Dispatch</i> editorial board, which she has variously described as racist, sexist, and unfair.</p>

<p>In 2017, Jones, a self-described progressive, lost a bid to become Mayor of St. Louis after being narrowly defeated in the city's Democratic primary by moderate Lyda Krewson. On November 4, 2020, after being elected treasurer for a third term, Jones announced she would once again campaign for the mayor's office. She won the election against St. Louis Alderwoman Cara Spencer on April 7, 2021, and was sworn in on April 20. She is the third African-American, the second woman, and the first African-American woman to hold the position.</p>

<p>Tishaura Jones was sworn-in as the 47th mayor and the first Black female mayor in the City’s history on April 20th, 2021.</p>

<p>Transparency, Integrity, and Service define who she is and how she did it. Since 2012, Tishaura O. Jones has helped the City of St. Louis earn and save over $30 million and counting.</p>

<p>With a deep personal commitment, a wealth of experience, and a proven record of leadership, Jones started her career as a public servant in 2002 when she was appointed as Democratic Committeewoman of the 8th Ward in the City of St. Louis. A history-maker on a mission, she served two terms in the Missouri House of Representatives, and was selected as the first African American woman in Missouri history to hold the position of Assistant Minority Floor Leader. She also is the first African American woman to serve as Treasurer of St. Louis.</p>

<p><b>RACES</b>
<ul>
<li> 04/06/2021 St. Louis Mayor Won 51.98% (+3.97%)</li>
<li> 03/02/2021 St. Louis Mayor - Primary Won 36.45% (+6.79%)</li>
<li> 11/03/2020 St. Louis City Treasurer Won 77.72% (+57.52%)</li>
<li> 08/04/2020 St. Louis City Treasurer - D Primary Won 58.52% (+17.03%)</li>
<li> 03/07/2017 St. Louis Mayor - D Primary Lost 30.40% (-1.63%)</li>
<li> 11/08/2016 St. Louis City Treasurer Won 76.56% (+58.10%)</li>
<li> 11/06/2012 St. Louis City Treasurer Won 77.94% (+59.95%)</li>
<li> 08/07/2012 St. Louis City Treasurer - D Primary Won 34.92% (+8.61%)</li>
<li> 01/05/2011 MO State House Assistant Minority Floor Leader Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li> 11/02/2010 MO State House 063 Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li> 11/04/2008 MO State House 063 Won 85.39% (+70.78%)</li>
<li> 08/05/2008 MO State House 063 - D Primary Won 53.97% (+7.95%)</li>
</ul>
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