Missouri US House election results: Mark Alford, Emanuel Cleaver win KC area seats

Republican Mark Alford, a former longtime TV news anchor in Kansas City, is headed to Congress, keeping Missouri’s 4th Congressional District under staunch conservative control.

Alford’s landslide victory Tuesday ensured the Kansas City metro area in Missouri retains its current partisan makeup in the House, with one Democrat and two Republicans, as longtime incumbents cruised to victory in adjacent districts.

Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver easily won reelection in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District, which includes the bulk of Kansas City. Cleaver, a pastor and Kansas City’s first Black mayor, has served in the House since 2005.

And Republican Rep. Sam Graves won in the Missouri 6th Congressional District, a Northland seat he has held since 2001.

“I will tell you why we won, because our message won from the very beginning,” Alford told The Star late Tuesday night. “We went out into the 24 counties and we told people I am not a politician. I do not have an agenda. I simply want to be your voice.

“I filled up four red journals of notes from people that we talked with about their problems. I listened to people … I didn’t even know really the issues going in, what the 4th Congressional District people wanted.

“But I listened to them. And I absorbed that. And now I put down my microphone and I’m picking up my megaphone and I’m going to be a loud voice for the people.”

The 4th District was the area’s only open seat, following Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler’s decision to give up the position for an unsuccessful U.S. Senate run. The district stretches from the southern and eastern edges of the Kansas City metro — beginning near Raymore and Blue Springs — to central Missouri, including portions of Columbia.

The general election was not meaningfully competitive — the Democratic candidate, Jack Truman, raised only a few hundred dollars compared to nearly $714,000 for Alford.

With all precincts reporting, Alford had 71% of the vote, according to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office. Truman had 26%.

“I would be the loudest, strongest, most conservative, unwavering voice for the 4th Congressional District that they have ever seen,” Alford said at a Kansas City rally in October.

Hartzler, who has been in Congress since 2011, was a hard-line conservative, and Alford appears likely to follow in her footsteps.

In his campaign, Alford promoted strict conservative stances on social issues like pushing back on gun control and COVID-19 mandates. He also touted a need to finish former President Donald Trump’s border wall with Mexico and has promoted baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was not secure.

Alford quit his job as a morning anchor on Fox 4 in October 2021 after 23 years on air in Kansas City. He launched his campaign soon after.

Alford has said it was difficult to be a conservative working in TV news. Some former colleagues told The Star that the former anchor was a toxic, bullying presence at Fox 4, though others dispute that, saying he was helpful and emphasized journalistic objectivity.

Before the race was called Alford addressed supporters in what sounded like a victory speech, saying work would begin on hiring and building a team to handle what he called “client services” instead of constituent services.

He later told The Star that work would begin Wednesday to hire a staff to run an answering service for constituents. He said he bought the phone number — 1-855-TELL-MARK — several months ago.

“I want to have the most responsive client services for our constituents who have all sorts of problems that need to be dealt with, passport issues, IRS issues, VA benefit issues,” he told The Star.

He said in traveling 70,000 miles since December, “on just about every back road of the district, all 24 counties,” he heard that the No. 1 issue in the district is lack of rural broadband access.

Less than 20% of the district has high speed internet, Alford said. “With the advent of COVID and more people moving out to rural areas like in the 4th Congressional District, you’ve got to have high speed internet to do telehealth, home schooling, to have a home-based business, to really function in a modern-day, 21st century society,” he said.

“But we’ve got to get this in rapid fashion, where people can move out into the country and buy an acre for $2,500 and help rebuild some of these areas that have seen better times and really prosper as Americans out in rural settings.”

5th District: Emanuel Cleaver

Cleaver won with 61% of the vote, while Republican Jacob Turk had 36.5%. Libertarian Robin Dominick had 2.5%. Missouri’s 5th Congressional District includes the bulk of Kansas City.

6th District: Sam Graves

Graves received 70% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Henry Martin, who had 27.4%. Libertarian Edward Anders Maidment had 2%. The 6th Congressional District includes a large swath of northern Missouri, stretching across the entire state from the Kansas border to Illinois.

7th District: Eric Burlison

State Sen. Eric Burlison, a Republican, had 77.7% of the vote as of midnight, with 184 of 275 precincts reporting, heading to victory over Democrat Kristen Radaker-Sheafer, who received 20%. Libertarian Kevin Craig received 2%. The 7th Congressional District is in southwestern Missouri and includes Springfield. The seat is being vacated by Billy Long, who left to wage an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate.

1st District: Cori Bush

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Cori Bush won handily with 73% of the vote, defeating Republican Andrew Jones Jr., who received 24%. Libertarian George Zsidisin received 3%. The 1st Congressional District includes all of St. Louis city and parts of its northern suburbs.

2nd District: Ann Wagner

Incumbent Republican Rep. Ann Wagner won with 55% of the vote, while Democrat Trish Gunby had 43%. Libertarian Bill Slantz had 2%. The 2nd Congressional District includes the southern and western suburbs of St. Louis County.

3rd District: Blaine Luetkemeyer

Incumbent Republican Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer won reelection with 65% of the vote, defeating Democrat Bethany Mann, who had 35%. The 3rd Congressional District stretches from the Ozarks in central Missouri to the outskirts of the St. Louis suburbs.

8th District: Jason Smith

With 389 of 409 precincts reporting, incumbent Republican Rep. Jason Smith had 76% of the vote as of midnight, heading to victory over Democrat Randi McCallian, who received 21.6%. Libertarian Jim Higgins had 2%. The 8th Congressional District is located in the southeastern part of Missouri, including the Bootheel.