This is the fifth installment in our week-long, six part series,
“Meet the freshmen.”
Dean Dorhman, R-La Monte — Hometown: La Monte
Education: Central Missouri State University, PhD from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Political career highlight: Co-sponsoring the “right to farm” legislation: “Agriculture is the backbone of Missouri and our country. Farmers and ranchers need protection to practice modern agricultural techniques.“
Key issue: Defending “basic rights.”
What people don’t know about you: “I played on two winning College Bowl teams at the University of Central
Missouri (Central Missouri State University at the time). My picture with one of those winning teams is in the hall at the Wood Building.”
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Tom Hurst, R-Meta —
Hometown: Meta
Education: B.S. in Accounting from University of Missouri — Columbia
Career Highlight:” Being here, which is such an honor because I love finding ways to serve and make a difference.”
Key Issues: “No one specific thing, really. I’m pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-agriculture, pro-business… it’s all part of a bigger picture.”
What people don’t know: “I’m also a farmer and an auctioneer, plus my family has a convenience store.”
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Rocky Miller, R-Lake Ozark —
Education: University of Missouri-Rolla
Occupational Highlights: “Growing my fathers company into our multifaceted corporation it is today.”
Key Issues: “Getting the government out of the way of economic development.
Something people don’t know about you: I am a dual citizen of the Cherokee Nation.”
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Dave Muntzel, R-Boonville —
Hometown: Boonville
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Central Missouri State University
Political career highlight: “Winning the General Election by large margin and having the trust and support of the voters in my district.”
Key issue: “Bringing good, conservative common sense values, ideas, and direction to the House Floor when voting on bills.
What people don’t know about you: He is a fourth generation farmer who still operates his family farm. He used to sing in a Men’s Quartet and a Double Quartet in his hometown.
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Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia —
Hometown: Columbia
Education: University of Missouri
Political career highlight: As a former singer-songwriter, he feels the highlight of his political career has been beating two former state Senators in his first run for public office.
Key issue: Working to establish “MissouriLink,” a statewide entrepreneur network. Also pursuing legislation that would require the Department of Revenue to put all taxing information on a website to help people “understand the way they are taxed from the state and from various local taxing districts.”
What people don’t know about you: While on tour with his band, he helped apprehend criminal running from the police. The man flew past their van at 100 mph. An 18-wheeler bumped the car off the road, Rowden’s van stopped, and after a 10 minute chase on foot, the drummer ended up tackling the man and holding him until the police officer caught up.
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David Wood, R-Versailles — Hometown: Versailles
Education: Bachelor’s degree in education with a specialization in Mathematics from University of Central Missouri
Political career highlight: Work to expand high speed broadband to his rural community. MoBroadbandNOW and COMO Electric are working on a plan to expand it over the next four years.
Key issue: House Bill 826, which addresses the issue of K2/K3/Spice from a retail perspective — a pet-project of the City of Eldon. Also, House Bill 812, which he and Rep. Shawn Rhodes have pushed to update the way new chemical compounds can be used.
What people don’t know about you: Perhaps the first graduate of the Eldon School System to be elected to the Missouri General Assembly, but is a member of the same church with two former Representatives in a congregation of 150.
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John Wright, D – Columbia —
Education: Yale Undergraduate and Law School
Career Highlights: Originally from Columbia, Wright went on to work in venture finance in Silicon Valley, and started an education non-profit in mid-Missouri, Rollins Reading.
Key Issues: Pre-Kindergarten funding, education and economic matters.
What People Don’t Know About You: He comes from an long family history of sportsmen and skeet shooting.
