As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has explained, the current international trade system didn’t emerge from nowhere. In fact, it came from a concerted effort by the United States and our victorious allies after World War II to help war-torn Europe, Japan, and other similarly decimated countries rebuild their domestic economies. To complement efforts like the Marshall Plan, the U.S. helped set up a global trade system
that allowed these devastated countries to implement tariffs to help build their domestic manufacturing base, while giving them almost unfettered access to American markets— the largest at the time.

The system worked. Europe and Japan rebuilt. Many countries, like Germany, developed into manufacturing powerhouses. The problem is the trade system was never meaningfully revisited, even as the economies it was designed to help advanced. Instead of reexamining our trade policies, the system mostly expanded with the emergence of the World Trade Organization and the rise of China. This has left the United States at a competitive disadvantage to our global counterparts for decades.

The existing America-last trade system has allowed countries to use unfair trade practices to get ahead at the expense of hardworking Americans. The trade status quo has caused significant economic and national security problems, including the destruction of our domestic manufacturing base, the weakening of critical supply chains, and the hollowing out of the American middle class. We have also become increasingly reliant on trading partners for products essential to our national defense like drones, ammunition, and tanks. In short, foreign trade practices have created a national emergency.

While the economic and national security concerns are critically important, we must remember that America is so much more than just an economic zone or a marketplace of consumers. We are a nation—a nation of people, families, and communities. America is our home. Decades of these lopsided trade arrangements have hollowed out communities across middle America. While major metropolitan and financial centers have thrived, towns previously centered around good-paying jobs from factories have been ravaged. President Trump’s bold trade policies are designed to reverse this decline and reinvigorate these forgotten communities.

President Trump’s tariffs are a direct and proportional reaction to these long-standing and disastrous problems—and his use of emergency powers to implement them is well justified. By correcting trade imbalances and one-sided trading relationships, we are leveling the playing field for American workers. According to a recent Harvard-Harris poll, almost sixty percent of Americans support President Trump’s efforts to reset our trade and tariff policies. These tariffs will reinvigorate domestic manufacturing, bolster agricultural supply chains, and boost our defense-industrial sector–all to the benefit of the American middle class.

These end results will not be immediate, and like all disruptions, there may be temporary discomfort on the horizon. However, I’m confident this period of short-term pain will lead to long-term gains for Missouri and all of America. While the stock market has been tumultuous, we have also seen a wave of job-creating new investments in the United States totaling more than three trillion dollars this year alone. One thing is clear: the days of American workers being ripped off are over. President Trump’s America First trade agenda will create a renaissance of domestic manufacturing and create good-paying jobs–ushering in a new golden age for American workers.

Congressman Mark Alford

Represents Missouri’s fourth congressional district. He sits on the House Appropriations Committee and the House Small Business Committee, where he Chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations.

The post Opinion: President Trump’s Tariffs Will Usher in a New Golden Age for American Workers appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The post Election in Night Missouri – Full Episode (Live 11/5/24) appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post This Week in Missouri Politics Column: Election night recap appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Bush was able to use her incumbent advantage in the Democratic primary against Missouri State Sen. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis County.

Bush had a large section of the voter base that supported her in 2020 taken out of Congressional District 1 in the redistricting process. Roberts and his Democrat colleagues in the state Senate were able to work with Republicans and secure Roberts the map he wanted. 

The district shift wasn’t enough for Roberts to shake his history of sexual assault allegations, though. 

Bush and her team repeatedly struck at Roberts’ alleged sexual assaults. Roberts has been alleged to have assaulted attorney Amy Harms as well as former state Rep. Cora Faith Walker, who died tragically in March. 

Roberts wasn’t charged in either case, though he reached a non-monetary settlement with Walker in which he included language which stated he was clear of any wrongdoing. Harms received a $100,000 settlement from Roberts, who said he wanted to fight the case.

Much like GOP Senate candidate Eric Greitens, Roberts’ allegations sunk him in a race that he may have been able to win otherwise. Bush’s unstable footing with Black voters in 2020 made her a relatively weak incumbent in a majority Black district, her win over Roberts is a big step forward for her. 

Bush will go on to face Andrew Jones Jr. in the general election. 

She will still be a heavy favorite in the Democrat stronghold. Race To The White House predicts a 98.5% likelihood of a Democrat win in the district. 

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Bush wins Democrat nomination in Congressional District 1 appeared first on The Missouri Times.

• This was the morning after his yuuge Politics and Pints with Eric Greitens. It was a very successful event, and he had an entire row of very prestigious and very jealous journalists in attendance lined up in the back.

  

• This was also the morning after the Trafalgar poll showed Schmitt continuing his momentum climbing to 26.5%. We discussed how Hartzler was continuing to rise in the polling, now to 24.4% without much change in the undecided number that still stands at around 15%. 
• I get the sense that of that 15% some of them are Greitens voters who don’t wanna admit out loud that they are sick freaks. Some of them just won’t vote at all, and I’ve always felt that the rest were voters that Hartzler had the best shot at. 

From there we went to Carrollton to the Show Me Ethanol plant. 

• We took a tour of the plant with Rep. Rusty Black, and maybe his most effective supporter Rep. Peggy McGaugh
• Watching Mrs. McGaugh work a room, I’m immediately reminded of how Judge McGaugh will one day be Governor McGaugh. 
• At the plant, Rep. Black already knew that each year they take 21 million bushels of corn and turn it into 65 million gallons of gas. 
• Topically enough the plant was initially built with MASBDA tax

  

  credits and wants to expand. They have the lot already picked out but will need the legislature to renew the program in order to expand. 

• Some would call me and Rusty “conservative” and some would call us “cheap.” But we were both prolly most impressed that from day one the plant has been zero waste. Meaning they use every piece of raw material for something. 
• I visited with “Bob the Waterboy”. He earned that nickname because he makes high-quality H2O. His take on the state senate race and politics in general was pretty simple. “We need folks in office who understand agriculture. If politicians don’t understand agriculture then someday that corn won’t show up at the plant.  If that corn doesn’t show up at the plant then there ain’t no need for a plant,” the Waterboy told me. Simple but true, and I’m pretty sure he had no idea he was in the same room as a politician who was an FFA teacher for 30 years. 
• When I visited with Rusty about the race he knew the race was exactly 203 miles wide, and that he spent $982 dollars on gas last month. I spent $423 dollars on gas this week. Again I know that might mean to some that we are conservative, but I reckon I couldn’t argue if you also called us cheap. 
• He said his key to the race was his support from traditional Republicans along with organizing the 58 ag teachers in the district. 
• He is right — I still remember Mr. Magruder who everyone at Neelyville High School in WBC loved. Not as much as my buddy Will Spargo. He loved FFA so much that he joined the Magruder family,  marrying Mr. Magruder’s daughter. On second thought, maybe he loved Terribeth so much that he joined FFA? Either way, he now spends time in low places hanging out with Gary Wheeler and the Soybean guys. 
• I got a kick out of his story that one of his favorite places on the campaign trail was visiting Watson up in Atchison County, the home of his ag teacher in high school. 
• Lastly, I got a quote from Peggy. I’m just gonna transcribe it here so that I don’t screw it up:  “The newly drawn 12th Senatorial District is blessed with three great candidates who would do a good job representing the Great Northwest,” Judge McGaugh said. “I have nothing against the other candidates but I have actively been supporting Rusty Black. As a family friend and my first seatmate on the floor of the House my Freshman year, I learned how to be an effective legislator for my area with his help. When the House redistricting map drew our districts together, the situation was not ideal. After the Senate redistricting map allowed Rusty to remove his name from the Representative race and file for Senator for the 12th District, it allowed me to remain on the ballot as the incumbent and I appreciate him for that. I look forward to working with him in passing legislation for Northwest Missouri.”

We then backtracked over to Independence to Big Boys Burgers in Jackson County. 

• I caught up with Mike and Connie Cierpiot, the original Jackson County right-wingers.
• I asked Connie, who is the boss of this operation, how it felt to be one of the founders of the Right to Life movement in Jackson County (long before it was popular to be Pro-Life) and today see her husband attacked on the issue. I’m just plain afraid of Connie so I’m not gonna try and edit her quote for spacing: “It is pure insanity that Missouri Right to Life — an organization that Mike and I helped build in Jackson County — are trying to defeat Senators including my husband who passed the Heartbeat Bill which effectively outlawed abortion as of last June. Making Missouri the most pro-life state in our nation because of this.  Missouri Right to Life has lost its way.  MRL should be hosting a celebration after the demise of Roe vs Wade after 50 years. Instead, they are attempting to destroy their long-time friends of life.”
• They were out putting up signs, it clearly galled Mike that his opponents were just sticking up signs in the medians where he was using his lists that he and Connie spent 20 years building to place signs where they had got permission. 
• I asked him how the race was going: “We are knocking on doors, we have a very good ad on tv, a good radio campaign, and I’m especially happy with our mail. I feel like many people run on attacking things they have no power to influence. I’m really proud of the record of actually impacting things in the office the people of this district have elected me to, and that’s what I’m running on, and I believe that is what we are going to win on.”

From there we took I-49 down to the watermelon feed in Neosho. I still never drive through Lamar without thinking about Ed Emery. 

• 

  I’ll say this for Big Springs Park in Neosho, it holds the heat well. It was still 102 degrees at 7:00 when we got there. The park was packed, maybe 250 or 300 in attendance.

• The watermelon was perfect. Literally couldn’t have been better. 
• The only US Senate candidates there were Mark McCloskey and Vicky Hartzler. Folks loved McCloskey’s speech. I’ll say it here for the last time, if he would have taken his machine gun it would have been a home run. 
• Congresswoman Hartzler stuck around after her speech and I actually think shook every hand, many of them twice. 
• Scott Fitzpatrick was here and he made his pitch to be Auditor. I would think that of the 300 people in the crowd he can prolly count on 290+ of them to vote for him, and that’s assuming he double parked his truck and blocked someone in.

  

• The 7th district folks spoke. Former Senator Wasson was giving hell about the $2 million spent to buy lies about him. I saw one of the ads on KY3. It was a pretty weak hit accusing him of supporting Mitt Romney in ‘12. I wasn’t a Romney fan at the time either, weak handshake, daddy’s boy and all, but still, did they want him to support Obama?
• Senator Burlison gave his stump speech, he was good. He spoke about social issues and he is very genuine when he is speaking on those issues. Senator Moon gave his speech, and mentioned his gripe with the Missouri Firearms Coalition. Now you can like Senator Moon or not — but he ain’t a liar. I tend to believe him when he says he didn’t get a survey. 
• By the way, nobody gives Mike Moon the credit he deserves for what an incredible retail politician he is. Worked the crowd better than anyone else there, and it wasn’t real close. 
• Prolly the biggest drama is the state Senate primary where Senator White is running for re-election against a first-time candidate with a lot of steam, Jill Carter. She spoke first and the 25-30 people she brought with her did their share of cheering. Senator White spoke second about his record and defending it against the attacks that have been lobbed at him. 
• I visited with one of my favorite hellraisers Lisa Pannett who has been down from St. Louis causing trouble for incumbent state senators this summer. Her take was that the voters are upset and she believes they are going to let the incumbents know about it next week. This ain’t Lisa’s first rodeo at being a burr under the establishment’s saddle and she has some pretty developed theories on how to win campaigns while being outspent. 
• Then I visited with Sophie Shore, an up-and-coming operative on the right who ran Senator Moon’s campaign, and is running the Carter campaign. Keep an eye on her because she is talented.

  

• I spoke with my buddy William Lynch the Prosecutor down there. He is a cop, but he is an alright guy. He gave me his take on things in Newton County. He is supporting Vicky, he was also impressed how long she stayed around after she spoke, visiting and taking pictures with folks. He thinks Vicky ultimately wins when she consolidates a lot of support among folks from the other candidates who want to support someone who can win. He also thinks Senator White gets re-elected, but it’s close. 
• Visited with a real good dude taking pictures for the newspaper. We visited about how folks love to threaten to sue newspapers, but rarely ever really do. 
• Before I left I saw Rep. Dirk Deaton, one of the hardest working guys in politics. My mama is a church secretary so I’ve met a lot of preachers, and Dirk has the spirit and voice and just countenance of a minister. The older he gets the more pronounced it is. Gussie remembered meeting him at the capitol and took a liking to him. 
• We got on the road after having an extra piece of watermelon, and went by the spot where the elected Missouri Legislature voted to secede from the union there on the northwest corner of the courthouse square in Neosho. Gussie loves the Angler’s Lodge in Springfield. I assume one day he will develop his dad’s love of the Vandivort, but until then it’s either we stay at the Angler’s Lodge or I get the German side of his temper. 

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post #F150CampaignTour Day 2: Jackson, Carroll, Newton, and Greene Counties appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Taylor Burks, Kalena Bruce, state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Cass County, and Mark Alford all took stances on several important issues throughout the debate.

The first issue the candidates debated centered around illegal immigration and inflation. Moderator Austin Petersen asked the candidates if they would support supplying jobs to immigrants if it meant inflation going down.

Brattin took a strong stance on spending, viewing inflation as a problem to fix with budgeting instead of immigration programs.

“It has nothing to do with the wave of immigrants coming here illegally and has everything to do with a reckless out-of-control government that is spending money — not budgeting,” Brattin said of the inflation problem. “I think that the move needs to be looking at our spending and our budgeting. We’re at $30 trillion in debt, I hardly think an influx and pouring in of illegal immigrants into our nation is the answer.”

Bruce acknowledged the support to the workforce that migrants and immigrants can provide, advocating for Congress to make it easier for those workers to achieve citizenship and to be able to work with less red tape.

“Congress, farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, we need a reliable workforce. We need the migrant workforce that is used to doing those jobs, because there are a lot of those jobs that Americans simply don’t want to do,” Bruce said. “We need folks that have been in our country for generations, they need a path to citizenship.”

“But at the end of the day, we have to close the borders… we have to cut back our spending. It’s a two-pronged question. But there’s not going to be one answer to fix the inflation issue. But I do believe immigration reform has to happen,” she added.

Burks chose to focus on inflation instead of immigration. Highlighting his strong belief in fiscal conservatism.

“I’m the only candidate on the stage who hasn’t taken federal handouts that kicked off the inflation that we’re seeing, when we saw trillions of dollars spent in PPP and government handouts over the last three years,” Burks said. “You need a congressman who’s gonna go to Washington, DC, and fight for fiscal conservatism.”

Bruce was quick to rebuttal Burks’ point about government handouts, believing that the assistance the federal government provided to small businesses during the pandemic was a necessity.

“I think that that program was essential. And making sure small businesses — specifically in rural America — could stay afloat when our government, specifically the Biden administration, shut us down,” she said.

Alford took a strong stance against illegal immigration, putting the completion of former President Donald Trump’s border wall as one of his main priorities.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there is a crisis at the border, and television does not portray it adequately,” Alford said. “We’ve got to finish President Trump’s wall. We must deport illegal aliens. We have enough jobs here in America for Americans to fill.”

Another issue that garnered some insightful debate came from a question by moderator Mike Mahoney. Mahoney asked the candidates how they would balance their concerns about Chinese-American tension with the fact that China supports a large part of Missouri’s economy.

Alford focused on building jobs domestically, allowing both Missouri and America to be less reliant on China.

“We’ve got to build more jobs here in Missouri and in the United States, where we are not importing things from China,” Alford said. “They’ve (China) slowly crept their way into each and every one of our homes, into your phones, and into your televisions with a grip that we have not seen before … there is a power in that economic grip, we have to break that grip.”

Brattin support a Trump-esque “strong arm” approach to Chinese-American relations.

“We have to realize, yes, we depend on them, but they also depend on us so much more heavily. And having that strong arm approach, I think just like Trump did really put them (China) back on their heels,” Brattin said. “We keep selling them our debt, we keep doing these things that put us at a competitive disadvantage. We also have to look at the human rights that they continually violate, I mean, they literally have slave labor over in China.”

Bruce took her focus to manufacturing and tax policy.

“What we have to do is bring more manufacturing right here in Missouri, we are set up perfectly here in Missouri, we have the infrastructure to support it, we have the waterways, we have the rail, and we are set up to have some of the strongest manufacturing right here at home in Missouri,” Bruce said.

“We need to be using and bringing more manufacturing here at home. And doing so by strong fiscal policy … We have to be able to provide businesses competitive playing field so that they will quit exporting things to China,” she added.

Burks believes that China is America’s most dangerous foreign threat, and wants to bring the focus back to the states.

“This is a serious foreign policy issue because the most serious threat that this country faces overseas is China. The United States military has conflict with China in our strategic defense policy in the next five years,” Burks said.

“When we’re looking at conflict, whether its economic or actual military conflict with China, our concern is going to be — what is our manufacturing or production capacity? How are we going to compete with a country where we’ve built their infrastructure? We need to focus on this country and being prepared for when that conflict occurs with China,” he added.

The last question the candidates debated on came from moderator Scott Faughn. Faughn asked the candidates what they would do to give Missourians relief from high gas prices.

All four candidates put a focus on domestic energy independence.

Brattin focused on pushing the Biden administration, believing that a “red wave” will take over Congress come November.

“I think we’ve got to push on him to enact energy independence, to start that the drawback of what’s occurred to making gas go up to five bucks a gallon. I think that’s what we have to show that we’re willing to take it on and fight that fight,” Brattin said. “You’ve got to work with people to ensure you have the best and most fiscally sound America-centric policy — like pipelines and drill here drill now that sort of thing.”

Bruce focused on opening up the Keystone XL pipeline, which President Biden closed down at the beginning of his administration. She also characteristically focused on farmers and ranchers.

“We’ve got to be energy independent, this failed policy that we’re having shoved down our throats right now is obviously not working,” Bruce said. “We’re going to need all types of energy to continue on and be a strong America with the prices that Americans can afford.”

“Farmers and ranchers can be a big part of that, we have lots of research and lots of development in the biofuel space. And that’s going to be an important part of making sure we have clean affordable energy for the American people,” she added.

Both Burks and Alford put their focus on the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and how the EPA’s regulation can harm domestic energy independence.

Burks zeroed in on administration inconsistencies and how they harm America’s oil production.

“Our energy companies are not going to invest in domestic production for this country. So long as every two years with a new Congress, or every four years with a new president, they’re threatened with shutdowns for our domestic production,” Burks said.

“We have to be an all of the above energy policy. And every time we flip the switch with a new Congress or new administration and start back at zero, it makes the United States weaker and drives up our prices at the pump.”

Alford aimed his crosshairs squarely at the Biden administration with his response.

“The F-150 is a model of a truck and it shouldn’t be what it costs to fill it up,” Alford said. “This is not the fault of President Trump. It’s not the fault of anyone but President Biden. I feel President Biden — the first thing he did was to demonize fossil fuels and continue his march towards trying to get in line with the crazy wacky climate change people.”

“He put the onus on and really targeted the fossil fuel industry, but he put the crosshairs on the backs of families like yours and farmers who are struggling.”

The debate, which was hosted by the Missouri Times, will be aired Sunday at 5 p.m. on KMOS, mid-Missouri’s PBS station. Kansas City’s PBS station will air the debate on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

The full debate can be viewed here.

Featured Image: From left to right, Mark Alford, state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Cass County, Kalena Bruce and Taylor Burks attend a debate hosted by the Missouri Times in Warrensburg, Mo. on July 15. (Brady Hays/The Missouri Times)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post CD 4 candidates debate on immigration, Chinese relations and energy independence appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The political action committee for MOFB endorsed Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler in her bid for U.S. Senate Monday. Hartzler is running to replace U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, who is retiring.

Hartzler received endorsements from the MOFB during her past six elections to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congresswoman faces a crowded Republican primary, which will take place August 2.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, former Gov. Eric Greitens, Congressman Billy Long and state Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Franklin County, are all participants in the primary.

The winner of the Republican primary will face off against the winner of the Democratic primary between Trudy Busch Valentine, daughter of the famous beer magnate August Anheuser Busch Jr., and veteran Lucas Kunce.

State senators Sandy Crawford (R-Benton County), Justin Brown (R-Crawford County) and Mike Bernskoetter (R-Cole County) all received endorsements from the MOFB last week as they seek re-election.

Notably, Brown will face off against state Rep. Suzie Polock, R-Lebanon.

These endorsements come at an important time in many races as other influential political entities get involved in the primaries. The Missouri Right to Life (MRL) political action committee released its full list of endorsements last week.

The Missouri Farm Bureau is no stranger to handing out endorsements at multiple levels.

In early June, MOFB endorsed Republican U.S. House of Representatives candidate Kalena Bruce. Bruce is running in Congressional District 4, a seat left open by Hartzler’s run for Senate.

Featured Image: Vicky Hartzler kicks off Senate campaign on August 12, 2021. Hartzler has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011. (PROVIDED)

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

The post Farm Bureau gets involved in federal and state races appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Republican U.S. representatives August Pfluger from Texas and Mike Waltz from Florida were announced as Burks endorsers in a press release Tuesday.

They are not the first active members of Congress to endorse Burks in his race. U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton has also come out in support of the Navy veteran.

Burks secured additional financial backing from the “Raptor” Political Action Committee (PAC) with the endorsement from Pfluger. The Raptor PAC is directly affiliated with Pfluger and backs veterans running for Congress.

“I’m happy to endorse Taylor, and look forward to the leadership, selfless service and supply chain experience he will bring to the US House,” Pfluger said in a press release.

The duo of endorsements will help Burks further differentiate himself in CD 4. Burks is one of three veterans in the Republican primary, sharing the distinction with state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Cass County, and William Irwin.

Burks feels that he’s winning the battle for veteran votes among the three.

“There are other veteran candidates,” Burks said. “But I’m the one getting the support.”

In addition to endorsements from three veteran Congressmen, Burks is endorsed by the Disabled Vets PAC and the Votes4Vets coalition.

Veteran support, along with connections to Mid-Missouri, have Burks feeling confident about his chances as the summer progresses. Burks has previously served as County Clerk of Boone County.

“I think I have the geographic advantage — even with Boone County being split by career politicians who wanted to run for Congress,” Burks said. “You have to represent a number of constituent bases, I’m the candidate to do that.”

As the race progresses, further support from veterans and Boone County will be important to the Burks campaign.

However, the support of national politicians and an extra PAC in his corner have given Burks a substantial amount of momentum as August’s primary elections continue to draw closer.

Featured Image: Taylor Burks, Republican candidate for CD 4 in Missouri. (PROVIDED) 

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Burks backed by U.S. Congressmen, veteran’s PAC appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“We are thrilled to have Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s support in our campaign. He and I both share the same conservative values, life experiences, and background as farmers and small business owners. I’m thankful for Governor Parson’s leadership of our state and his strong commitment to defend our freedoms,” Bruce said in a press release.

Missouri Farm Bureau’s PAC endorsement is historic, being the first time the Missouri Farm Bureau has endorsed a candidate in an open-seat primary election.

Bruce has significant connections to Farm Bureau as the only farmer in the race. She served as the national chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s young farmers and ranchers committee in 2017.

“Kalena is a shining star in the farming community,” Trent Drake, chairman of the MoFB’s West Central Regional Endorsement Committee said.  “Her common-sense Missouri values, experience as a small business owner and determination to fight for our way of life will make her an outstanding representative in the U.S. Congress.”

The Missouri Farm Bureau held the endorsement session Monday night. Trustees from the Missouri Farm Bureau West Central Regional Endorsement Committee, who are selected by their county-level Farm Bureau organizations, endorsed Bruce after asking questions to the four Mo-04 candidates who chose to attend.

The Mo-04 race has been defined by a lack of career politicians, the only candidate who has served in state politics before being state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Cass County.

The other Republican candidates include Mark Alford, who’s background is in television journalism and Taylor Burks, a veteran who previously served as the Boone County Clerk.

Former Blues forward Jim Campbell, retired Navy Seal and member of the State Department William Irwin, and Kyle Labrue, owner of Labrue Development concepts make up the rest of the Republicans in the primary.

Both the Democratic and Libertarian primaries for Mo-04 are uncontested.

Featured Image: Kalena Bruce views herself as a “conservative outsider.” Bruce recently reciever major endorsements from Gov. Mike Parson and the Missouri Farm Bureau. (PROVIDED)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Gov. Parson, Farm Bureau endorse Bruce in CD4 appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The poll, conducted by WPA Intelligence, found 39% of responders view Burlison as “favorable” while the opposing candidates only scored 29% each. The poll also shows Burlison leading in name recognition and overall net-favorability.

The poll was conducted over-the-phone between May 20-22. The sample size was 404 randomly selected Republican voters in the district, with a margin of error of 4.4%. 

The race for the Republican seat in CD 7 has and will continue to be a tight one. Burlison is running against fellow member of the Senate conservative caucus Sen. Mike Moon, R-Lawrence County, and former Sen. Jay Wasson.

A different poll, conducted by American Viewpoint, found Burlison in third place, Moon in second, and Wasson in first.

Dr. Sam Alexander and minister Alex Bryant are also contending for the seat. 

Missouri’s CD 7 covers a large swath of the southwest region of Missouri. The district includes the major metropolitan areas of Joplin and Springfield. 

GOP Congressman Billy Long currently represents the district, but is vacating the seat to run a tight race of his own. Long is running in the Republican primary for Missouri’s Senate seat, left open by the retirement of Sen. Roy Blunt.

Long is opposed by fellow U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo 04, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Missouri Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Schatz, former Gov. Eric Greitens and attorney Mark McCloskey in the race.

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

The post New poll says Burlison leads CD 7 race, opposing previous poll’s results appeared first on The Missouri Times.