Retiring pastor and former petroleum geologist, Mik Chester, has announced his candidacy for Representative of House District 9, comprised of Andrew and Eastern Buchanan Counties. Chester seeks to replace Representative Delus Johnson, who is term-limited and cannot run again.
“For decades, I have been working to build a thriving community,” said Chester, “I have had the great honor of serving people from all walks of life, from leading the congregation of my church, to being a St. Joseph Police Officer, to volunteering as a Boy Scout Leader and Scoutmaster, to assisting the elderly and disabled. I have dedicated my life to making a positive difference for those in need. We need a representative who knows what regular people are struggling through, and I am ready to take a lead to be a voice for the people.”
Chester originally was a certified petroleum geologist and worked 12 years in the oil industry. He felt called to serve as a spiritual leader, became a pastor and helped to start and serve in the St. Joseph Police Dept. Chaplain Corps. He has been a pastor in the community for 22 years with The Keys Christian Fellowship and Bethel Foursquare Church.
Chester and his wife of nearly 27 years, Lori, are the proud parents of 6 children, Shawnda, Christi, Josh, Trey, Grace and Tim, and are the even-prouder grandparents of 6 grandchildren. Having worked and raised his family in the community, Chester is now retiring from his position and wants to devote his time to making Missouri a better place to live for his fellow citizens.
Chester spoke more on his qualifications, “I am as determined as ever to serve my neighbor and to make our community and our state a better place to live and prosper. I may be a political outsider, but I am no stranger to accepting leadership roles and positions of responsibility. While a state representative job may be classified as part-time, I guarantee that I will devote myself fully to this responsibility. I have the time, energy, and passion to prioritize the needs of others before my own ambitions.”
In addition to his role as pastor and father, Chester also served on the board of Community Housing Management, helping to provide decent housing for low-income and disabled seniors. He has also served on the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast Committee, started the After School Program for Enrichment and Nourishment (ASPEN) to feed in-need elementary students and help them with school work, is a member of the East Side Lions Club, and is a member and Past President of the Northwest Missouri Republican Club.
Chester’s legislative priorities include defending family values, supporting law enforcement, shrinking government bureaucracy and defending life and the 2nd amendment. He said, “I will protect and defend the God-given rights of both the born and the unborn guaranteed in our Constitution, and work to ensure that future generations get to enjoy the blessings God has poured out on our country. Rather than having government try to run our lives, I believe each of us should be empowered to enjoy our rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
In his spare time, Chester enjoys outdoor activities, including camping, fishing, bicycling, off-road Jeeping, and especially rooting for the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chester has retained Axiom Strategies to consult on his campaign.
