Story by Logan Jackson
A constitutional democracy major at the University of Missouri, TJ Benoist spent the past year taking experiential learning to the next level. Benoist, a sophomore, ran for a county commissioner seat in St. Francois County, Missouri. While he didn’t win the election, the experience was a perfect one for a student pursuing a degree that is focused on providing a foundation for thoughtful citizenship, leadership and civic engagement.
“I was thinking a lot about some of the lower-level races early last year – especially where I’m from in St. Francois County – and how they’ve often gone unopposed for like the last two decades,” Benoist said. “I think democracy is at its best when there is fair competition between two or more candidates. So, I want to see people run, and I began to look for individuals who could get involved for that specific seat. As I started looking at the requirements, I soon realized that I was actually eligible to run. I figured I should put my money where my mouth is, so I paid my $100 filing fee and decided to give people a choice on the ballot.”
Benoist said the entire campaign – from getting his name on the ballot to talking with voters to raising funds – was an incredible learning experience. Benoist also appreciated how his opponent treated him throughout the campaign.
“I had a really good time with it,” Benoist said. “When speaking about politics in general, there is a lot of discussion about how divided we are. And we are in a lot of ways – but I think we really need to look at the local level and see how many of those races are so civil. My opponent and I were both very respectful throughout the campaign. He was always kind to me and spoke highly of my work. I made sure to call him when he won to congratulate him. It was just a rewarding experience overall.”
Benoist began his run in March 2024 and spent the summer campaigning. He continued that work while taking classes this past fall. Finding that balance was key as Benoist wanted stay devoted to his coursework and the campaign.
“I did all that I could, especially during the summer,” Benoist said. “I traveled to several meet the candidate events and did quite a bit of fundraising. I obviously had to step back a bit when the semester started back up. I tried to get back as often as I could, but I made sure to prioritize my classes. I was pretty proud and impressed with what I was able to accomplish overall. At the very minimum, I gave people a choice and that was my biggest goal.”
Benoist said that he has always had an interest in politics. He chose Mizzou and the constitutional democracy degree program after a conversation he had with Thomas Kane, the director of undergraduate studies for the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy and affiliate faculty within the Honors College, during his senior year of high school.
“He sold it immediately,” said Benoist, who is also pursuing the Honors Certificate at MU. “Mizzou was the first college I toured, and I stopped by Jesse Hall to learn a bit more about the constitutional democracy degree. We had a great conversation, and I decided I was going to be a Tiger at that moment.
“I had a great high school experience and was hoping that I could find a similar experience at college. I was looking for something that would pique my interest and a place where I could get involved. I found the perfect place in the Kinder Institute. It’s amazing.”
Benoist has enjoyed getting involved in the political space – in his county and at MU – over the past two years. He encourages others to do the same, even if it’s just to exercise your right to vote. Along with running for the county commissioner seat this year, Benoist serves as the communications director for Mizzou College Democrats. He’s also hoping to land an internship in Jefferson City.
“There is the adage that ‘all politics is local’ and I do think that’s true to a big degree,” Benoist said. “We hear the most out of the U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives because they are passing large bills that do help communities, which is great. But those are usually high-level issues. That pothole in front of your house, that’s your city council or county commission dealing with those issues. Your day-to-day issues related to your public life is typically local.”
One of the most regular questions Benoist receives now is if he’s interested in running again in the future.
“I have a little time to think about it, thankfully,” Benoist said. “I hope to be in law school in a couple of years, so I don’t know if I’ll run again anytime soon. But I do see myself staying involved in politics in general. At the end of the day, it’s just important to stay involved. We need options and to give people choices.”