PLATFORM
"I will continue to lead with integrity and to fight relentlessly for southwest Missouri values."
LIST OF ISSUES
Family Values
Helping people has been my passion in life! I am a minister, a missionary who has led mission trips to India, Africa, and Central America, and I serve on the board of my church. I was honored in 2019 with the Freshman Legislator of the Year Award for Defending Religious Liberty, and I am a member of the bipartisan “Preacher Caucus” and the House Conservative Caucus. My wife, Naomi, and I have been married seventeen years, and we have four beautiful daughters. Natalie, Nicole, Sylvia, and Sydney. I served on the Neosho City Council and as mayor of Neosho because I wanted to ensure my community was one in which families could thrive. As a husband and father, family values are not only very important to me – but they also define who I am.
Defending Personal Liberties
As an avid firearms enthusiast and outdoorsman, the 2nd Amendment is an integral part of who I am, and the defense of our personal liberties requires constant vigilance. I was proud to co-sponsor the Second Amendment Preservation Act, which is designed to guarantee the rights of all Missourians.
Right to Life
I am a past board president of our local pregnancy resource center, and I am a long-time advocate for pro-life causes. The God-given right to life is fundamental to both our liberty and our form of government, and I will not hesitate to speak on behalf of the voiceless. As a result, I was honored to co-sponsor the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act banning abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy, which was passed in 2019. I also am the only candidate in this race to be endorsed by Missouri Right to Life.
Jobs & Economic Growth
I own a small construction business that specializes in artisan trim-work. so I understand firsthand the challenges of government overreach and unnecessary regulation on small business. Rather than picking winners and losers, government should be removing hindrances to private enterprise, so Missourians can start and grow businesses without excessive regulation. As a result of my work, I was named a Business Champion by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and I was ranked No. 2 b the Club for Growth Foundation in the 2019 Missouri State Legislative Vote Studies, which is a scorecard on economic policy.
Limiting Government
People want elected officials who are refuse to be pawns of special interests. Lower taxes, cutting red tape, and reducing government regulation and bureaucracy are priorities of mine as we work to limit the size and scope of government. Consequently, I was honored to be named the Missouri State Chair of the American Legislative Council, a nationwide organization that is dedicated to limited government, free markets, and federalism, and to be named to the Downsizing State Government Committee and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. In addition to limiting government, it is important to move decisions and control back to the local level whenever possible.
Education
As a former professor and dean of students at Ozark Bible Institute in Neosho, I understand the importance of a good education. I also have a bachelor of arts degree from Ozark Bible. That experience has helped me understand the issues as I serve on the Missouri House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, and the Workforce Development Committee. I will continue to fight for excellence in education for all Missouri children.