Alex Riley, a Springfield attorney is looking to serve his community in the Missouri House.
Riley announced last month his intention to represent HD 130 in the General Assembly. The seat is held by Republican Rep. Jeffrey Messenger, who is term-limited.
If elected, Riley said he intends to work closely with his constituents and local governments in the 130th district to protect life, defend liberty, and foster prosperity in Missouri.
Riley is a “conservative Republican” who wants to “increase economic opportunity for all, to improve our state’s business climate through legal reform, to advocate for all Missouri citizens (beginning at conception), and to ensure that our liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms are protected and preserved,” a news release said.
A 2016 graduate from Southern Illinois University School of Law, Riley works as an attorney at McAfee & Taft in Springfield. He graduated from Edison State University at just 19 years old with Bachelors in political science and worked as a paralegal for several years before attending law school. According to his campaign website, his original career plan involved attending the U.S. Naval Academy — a plan which was derailed due to a cancer diagnoses in his teen years.
He was born and raised in Greene County, where he has lived there his entire life — other than when he attended law school. He lives west of Springfield with his wife Ellen, son Mitchell, and their 100-pound Great Pyrenees, Teddy. Riley is a member of the National Rifle Association, Greater Ozarks Pachyderm Club, and Missouri Republican Assembly.
The district he seeks to represent encompasses a portion Greene County, including Republic, Willard, Ash Grove, Walnut Grove, and Brookline.
The campaign’s kick off was held June 29 at the Willard Freedom Fest. The following day, the campaign attended Ash Grove’s Sparks in the Park event as well.
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.