August 7, 2026
🏛️ Issue of the Week: Tired of Politics Doesn't Mean Tuned Out
Summary
People may be tired of politics, but that doesn't mean they aren't paying attention. In fact, I think much of the frustration I've heard at front doors across our district comes from exactly the opposite: people are paying attention, and they don't believe enough attention is being paid to the things they are worried about.
They talk to me about their schools. Property taxes. Healthcare. Roads and infrastructure. Public safety. The price of groceries, utilities and insurance. They worry about whether their kids will be able to afford a home and whether their parents will be able to afford to stay in theirs.
Tuesday's election was another reminder that voters don't need politicians deciding which of those concerns should matter most to them. Given the opportunity, they're perfectly capable of setting their own priorities.
Our votes don't just choose people or decide questions on a ballot. They give us the power to set those priorities, demand accountability, and change direction when we believe our government has gotten off course.
Key 33 Details – Our District Has Problems Worth Solving
There are only so many days in a legislative session and only so many hours to get the people's work done. Every hour spent engineering another political advantage is an hour that isn't being spent solving problems families actually need solved.
That's where I believe the current supermajority has lost its way.
The problem comes when a supermajority means you no longer believe you need anyone else at the table.
When one side has enough votes to set the agenda, control what receives a hearing and determine what ultimately reaches the floor, it also bears responsibility for how that power is used. Too often, we've watched that enormous advantage used to pursue ideological victories and political fights while real problems affecting Missouri families remain unresolved.
Tuesday offered a pretty strong reminder that having the votes in the Capitol doesn't necessarily mean you have the voters with you back home.
Missourians have repeatedly used the ballot box to settle questions when their elected government couldn't or wouldn't. Sometimes I've agreed with those decisions and sometimes I haven't. That's beside the point. The process belongs to the people.
Some of the people who voted exactly as I did Tuesday will vote differently from me in November. That's democracy. I don't need someone to agree with me on everything before I believe their voice deserves to be heard.
Missouri voters aren't nearly as predictable as some politicians assume. Give people the information and the opportunity to participate, and they'll decide for themselves what matters to them.
That's exactly how representative government is supposed to work.
A Better Path Forward & Conclusion
So what do we do with that voice?
If someone says they support strong public schools, look at how they voted when public education was on the line. If they say they're concerned about affordability, ask what they've actually done to lower costs for Missouri families. If they promise to listen to voters, look at whether they've protected your voice when it mattered.
We don't have to guess. Some candidates have already held office. They've had the opportunity to show us their priorities, and they've shown us who they are.
That's what comes next: electing representatives who will strengthen our public schools, address affordability, improve access to healthcare, maintain our roads and infrastructure, support public safety, and build an economy where Missouri businesses can grow and Missouri families can prosper.
Because democracy isn't only about having the opportunity to vote. It's about using that vote to hold the people we elect accountable for what they do with it.
Tuesday was one message. In November, we get to decide what comes next.