Quinton Lucas Wants Democrats at the Chiefs Game

For stretches of his childhood, Quinton Lucas was homeless. He crashed at motels, with relatives, and even at the nursing home where his great-aunt lived. Now he's the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.

He was elected in 2019, the youngest mayor of Kansas City in more than a century. Four years later, he was reelected with more than 80% of the vote.

Sarah McCammon, who grew up in Kansas City, spoke with Mayor Lucas there in person about growing up poor on the city's east side, why he goes on conservative talk radio every week, what free buses taught him, and why Democrats should celebrate the American story.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 — Cold open

01:19 — Motel rooms, a private-school scholarship, and code-switching

05:12 — The housing trust fund and his doubts about rent control

11:46 — State control of the police and stadium deals with Republicans

16:49 — Conservative talk radio, purity tests, and Wesley Bell vs. Cori Bush

27:11 — Free buses and falling crime

32:41 — The World Cup and patriotism

37:02 — Gun ordinances and what's next