51黑料

ST. LOUIS COUNTY 鈥� Three longtime north 51黑料 County politicians are poised to run in next year鈥檚 Democratic primary to represent the 1st District on the County Council, according to campaign paperwork.

Former state legislator Maria Chappelle-Nadal, incumbent Councilwoman Rita Heard Days and Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones have active campaign committees aimed at the overwhelmingly Democratic district, which includes all or parts of Ferguson, Jennings, Pagedale, St. John, Bellefontaine Neighbors and Berkeley.

Chappelle-Nadal, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year, said in a statement she decided to run for County Council because 鈥渢he current leadership in District 1 has lost touch with the needs and vulnerabilities of residents.鈥�

Days, also a former state legislator, has held the council seat since she won a special election in 2019 to finish the term vacated by her predecessor Hazel Erby. In 2022, Days won her first full term. She didn鈥檛 immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Jones has been active in Ferguson politics for years. In 2015, she became the first Black woman elected to the city council. And in 2020, she became the first Black woman to serve as mayor. In 2023, she narrowly won a second three-year term 鈥� by just 23 votes against the runner-up.

Jones said she won鈥檛 run for reelection in Ferguson, whose next mayoral election is on April 7. She said she wants to take her experience in Ferguson and apply it to the rest of the council district.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got to have people on the council who work past personalities and work for the betterment of North County,鈥� Jones said.

The County Council primary is on Aug. 4 next year.

Chappelle-Nadal and Days have history together.

Days was first elected as a state representative in 1993, and she served in the House before winning a seat in the state Senate in 2002, a post she held until 2011.

Chappelle-Nadal began working alongside Days in the Legislature and later described Days as a mentor. By the time Chappelle-Nadal鈥檚 time in the Legislature ended, Days had joined the County Council. Chappelle-Nadal was looking for work, and Days hired Chappelle-Nadal as a legislative aide in November 2020.

But the relationship soured, and Days fired Chappelle-Nadal in 2022. Chappelle-Nadal claimed she was wrongfully terminated and discriminated against. After Chappelle-Nadal settled out of court for $46,200 plus $30,800 in legal fees, a draft of Chappelle-Nadal鈥檚 lawsuit leaked.

Chappelle-Nadal claimed working for Days marked the darkest time of her career as a policymaker. She claims Days fired her for expressing her political views and that 51黑料 County didn鈥檛 properly accommodate her mental health disability. In response to questions about the suit, Days said Chappelle-Nadal was fired for not doing her job.