Scott Sifton is an American attorney who serves as a Democratic member of the Missouri Senate, representing the first district. Sifton took office in 2013 after defeating incumbent Republican Senator Jim Lembke in a close election the previous year. Sifton told the Webster-Kirkwood Times, he plans to run for governor. However, he later announced that he would not be doing so and instead endorsed Missouri State AuditorNicole Galloway for governor.
Before being elected to office, Sifton worked in the Missouri Attorney General's office as a special prosecutor, focusing on public corruption, senior fraud, nursing home patient neglect, methamphetamine manufacturing and defending against criminal appeals. Sifton also served on the Affton School Board from 2001 to 2010. He first ran for the Missouri House of Representatives in 2002, losing to Republican incumbent Kathlyn Fares of the 91st district by 9,463 votes to 6,981. He ran again in 2010 to succeeding term-limited Democrat Patricia M. Yaeger of the 96th district. In the general election, he defeated Republican nominee Anthony Leech, a retired communications manager and Cool Valley local officeholder by 5,655 votes to 4,062. Sifton served in the State House from 2011 to 2013. He did not run for re-election in 2012, instead running for the State Senate. He faced fellow State Representative Sue Schoemehl in the Democratic primary. Schoemehl, more socially conservative, was endorsed by Missouri Right to Life for supporting government restrictions to abortion access. Sifton opposes increasing restrictions and was endorsed by the Missouri chapter of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Sifton contrasted his refusal to accept any gifts, meals or entertainment from lobbyists with Schoemehl's willingness to accept them. He defeated Schoemehl by 6,720 votes to 5,513. He faced Republican incumbent Jim Lembke in the general election, defeating him by 45,689 votes to 44,055. In the Senate, Sifton played an "integral role" in filibustering a bill that mandated a 72-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. He has also fought against attempts to make Missouri a "right-to-work" state. In November 2014, Sifton declared his intent to run for Attorney General of Missouri in the 2016 election. However, he withdrew from the race the following July and chose to run for re-election, instead. On November 8, 2016, Sifton was re-elected with 53% of the vote over former Webster Groves city councilman Randy Jotte who had 43,227 votes to Sifton's 48,926 votes.
Personal life
Sifton resides in Affton, Missouri with his two children. They worship at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, where Sifton served previously as Chairman of the Deacons.
