State Sen. Rick Brattin announced he is entering the race for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District, positioning himself as a staunch conservative ready to take the fight to Washington and advance what he calls a “Missouri First” agenda.
The 5th Congressional District is currently at the center of an ongoing redistricting dispute.
In a September special session last year, the Missouri General Assembly approved a new congressional map that reconfigured nearly all eight of the state’s U.S. House districts. Under the previous map adopted in 2022, the 5th District included almost all of Kansas City along with portions of Clay and Jackson counties.
The newly adopted map extends the 5th District eastward to Columbia and adds 14 additional counties, creating a district that includes both urban and rural communities across a broader geographic footprint.
Brattin, who was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2020, represents the 31st Senatorial District. Before joining the upper chamber, he served four terms in the Missouri House from 2010 to 2018, representing Cass County’s 55th District. During his time in the House, he rose to majority floor whip and chaired the Special Committee on Government Oversight. He also served as the senior member of both the Local Government and Veterans committees.
Brattin grew up in Greenwood and graduated from Lee’s Summit High School before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He served six years, achieving the rank of sergeant. After his military service, Brattin founded a small construction business and later served as Cass County auditor.
In launching his congressional bid, Brattin framed his campaign around faith, patriotism and support for President Trump’s agenda in Washington.
“I’m honored to serve the Lord, this nation, and this state,” Brattin said in his announcement.
Brattin argued that the country is at a crossroads, saying, “We enjoy the American dream that our founders have paved for us, but what we see going on today is detrimental to that dream.”
He pledged to back President Trump in Washington, stating, “We’ve got to get people in DC to support President Trump’s agenda.”
Brattin also invoked Missouri’s recent congressional redistricting debates, saying, “The state of Missouri passed the Missouri First map, and I plan to bring that idea of ‘Missouri First’ to Washington DC.” He added, “Missouri deserves a 7-1 map.”
Casting himself as a proven conservative fighter, Brattin pointed to his legislative record. “In the state legislature I’ve done everything I can to stop the woke agenda,” he said. “I’ve been at the forefront of cutting taxes.”
Brattin closed his announcement with a broader national message: “Let’s take America back one seat at a time.”
With multiple candidates entering the race and the district’s boundaries still subject to court review, Missouri’s 5th Congressional District is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests of the cycle.
Jake Kroesen is a Jackson County native and a graduate of the University of Central Missouri. He holds a B.S. in Political Science.
