Following the midterm elections, Columbia has to introduce itself to two new U.S. representatives, neither of whom live here and both of whom are Republican.
Terry Smith, a political science professor at Columbia College, thinks that could be a problem. Local officials seeking help from Washington will have to work with two congressional representatives instead of one. And there are ideological differences between those representing Columbia in Congress and local officials.
Columbia and Boone County historically vote Democratic and the communities’ local officials lean that way too.
For the past 12 years, Boone County has been represented in the U.S. House by Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler. In 2022, Hartzler ran an unsuccessful campaign for a U.S. Senate seat, losing to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in the Republican primary.
The state legislature divided Boone County into two congressional districts when it redrew the state’s political boundaries following the 2020 Census.
Columbia — the fourth largest city in the state — was split along Broadway, with the congressional lines extending east and west along that line across Boone County.
Republican Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, who lives in the village of St. Elizabeth, south of Jefferson City, was re-elected to represent the 3rd Congressional District, which, after redistricting, includes the southern part of Boone County.
Republican Mark Alford, a former Kansas City TV anchor, elected to represent the 4th Congressional District, will represent the northern part of Boone County.
Peverill Squire, a political science professor at MU, said local officials will also have to determine which representative has more interest in Columbia.
Neither Luetkemeyer nor Alford responded to multiple attempts to reach them for an interview regarding how they plan to represent Columbia.
Smith wonders how much motivation they’ll have to listen to Columbia officials because each lawmaker represents a congressional district that, outside of the city, is largely rural.
“Those concerns are going to be the ones that the representatives are going to prioritize,” he said.
Complicating matters for Columbia’s Democratic-leaning local officials, Smith added, is the fact that Republicans will be driving the agenda in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Local officials remain optimistic about their relationship with congressional representatives.
Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe wrote in an email that her office will work with all community partners and try to avoid partisan politicking. She noted that, unlike Boone County’s elected officials, Columbia City Council members run and are elected on a nonpartisan basis.
Justin Aldred, District 1 Boone County commissioner, said he thinks the key to moving forward is developing interpersonal relationships.
“These are all individuals who are all hearing from the same groups,” Aldred said about the representatives. “They all have the same inroads.”
Janet Thompson, District 2 Boone County commissioner, agreed.
“You need to establish that relationship early on so that you’re not calling them for the first time or the second time or the third time when you need something, or when you need something two days ago,” Thompson said.
Both Aldred and Thompson said that political differences between the members of Congress and local officials should not become cause for concern.
They said the representatives’ duty is to the people, not a party.
“It really comes down to understanding that whole notion of, maybe that R or that D was part of what got you elected, but it cannot control because you represent all the people,” Thompson said.
