JEFFERSON CITY (KMOX) -- Friday will be the last day in the state House for State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. (D-St. Louis).
Franks announced he's leaving the House to deal with anxiety and depression after what he says was a particularly rough year."From winning an election that nobody thought I could win to being a young Black [sic] man from an economically distressed community sitting here in this legislative body, this has been an essential step for me and for the people I represent, who too rarely see someone who looks like them serving in government."However, I would be lying if I didn’t also acknowledge the enormous toll the past three years have taken on my physical health and my mental health," Franks said.He went on to describe losing his best friend and godson to gun violence earlier this year, he's also trying to raise a family on an elected official's salary (less than $40,000 a year) with no financial safety net. But he says his biggest challenge to date has surrounded his battle with depression.
We got to know Franks during the Ferguson protests, and he says he'll still be active.
"I will continue to do the work of the people, maybe no longer as an elected official, but as an advocate for social justice, as a disruptor to the status quo and a champion of change," he said. "I'm a soldier. Soldiers belong on the battlefield.
Franks says listening to people is how he forged good relationships with Republicans serving rural areas, but the dynamic is changing and bipartisanship in Jeff City is getting harder to come by.© 2019 KMOX (Entercom). All rights reserved.