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PrintThis article is part of the Missourian's 2012 general election voters guide.
WHAT'S THE JOB? The Missouri House of Representatives comprises 163 members, one for each of the state’s House districts.
State representatives must be at least 24, be a qualified voter of the state for two years and be a qualified voter of the district they wish to represent for one year.
Representatives currently earn $35,915 annually and can serve four two-year terms in the House.
District 43 includes Audrain County and northern Callaway County.
The candidates:
Jay D. Houghton (R)
Personal: Houghton is 45 and has been married to his wife, Nancy, for 24 years. He has two sons, Tyler and Hunter.
Online: Website: jayhoughton.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/Jay.Houghton10
Education: He graduated from Highland High School in Missouri and attended MU.
Occupation: Houghton has worked in agriculture the majority of his life, according to his website, which lists his experience as manager of McCaw Farms' hog facility. In the most recent legislative session, he represented the 10th District, which has been redistricted.
Previous experience: Houghton has been involved with various agriculture organizations and businesses, such as Monsanto's Dairy, Cargill Pork and Martinsburg Farmers Elevator, according to his website. Houghton also served on Martinsburg City Council and as mayor of Martinsburg. Continuing his work in government, he was elected as a state representative of the 10th District in 2010 and was presented with the Freshman Legislator of the Year Award in 2011. He served on six committees: Agri-Business, Health Care Policy, General Laws, Tourism and Natural Resources, Disability Services (where he is vice-chairman) and Agriculture Innovation and Economic Recovery. Because of the redistricting process, he now lives in District 43.
Top priority: “I am committed to preserving our conservative values and ensuring that the common man continues to have a voice in Jefferson City,” Houghton stated on his website.
Edwin “Ed” Lockwood (D)
Personal: He is 49 and has been married to his wife, Lori, for 24 years. They have four children: Chelsea, Simonne, Jared and Sam.
Online: Website: molockwood.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/molockwood
Education: Lockwood graduated from Urbana University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry in 1985.
Occupation: Lockwood owns a bison farm outside of Auxvasse In an email, Lockwood stated that he does not have an employer so he is able to focus his efforts on his campaign full time.
Previous background: After graduating from Urbana University, Lockwood founded Springfield Environmental Inc./Lockwood Laboratories in 1989 and sold it in 2004. He is the former regulatory affair manager for the Ovid Bell Press, a printing company in Fulton. Lockwood has raised buffalo since 1995, according to his website, and once taught science at a rural school in Missouri for one year when the school was unable to find a science teacher.
Top priorities: Job creation is Lockwood’s top priority. “Getting the unemployed back to work, in good paying jobs, has a ripple effect,” Lockwood stated in an email. In his email, Lockwood also said: “I believe we need to work together, the people on the far right and the people on the far left who want to disrupt the process because they are not getting their way and benefiting no one. Compromise in the middle, and we can move Missouri forward.”
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