JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Rep. Mike Haffner is running for majority floor leader, he told his colleagues Monday.
Haffner is a Republican who has represented HD 55 in Cass County since 2019. He’s the chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and the vice-chairman of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.
“We are currently facing challenging times as many of our conservative values are under attack, including the very foundational principles of our constitution,” Haffner said in a letter to colleagues and provided to The Missouri Times. “My intent is to meet these challenges, and as a caucus, we have an opportunity to make a generational impact for the state of Missouri.”
Haffner highlighted three points in his pitch to his colleagues: a clear and succinct vision, enhanced communication with weekly and daily floor schedules, and a focus on policy teams to coordinate debates.
“One of the primary tools to focus our legislative priorities will be caucus meetings which will be used to vet major legislation. Our strength is in the incredible giftings and experience of our caucus members, and we can use the caucus meetings to refine foundational legislation,” Haffner said.
Haffner owns and operates a Christmas tree farm and is a Navy veteran. He was the commanding officer of a F/A-18 Hornet squadron and led combat air patrols over New York City after 9/11.
“Although the challenges are great, I look forward to the upcoming opportunities as we focus our efforts to achieve our caucus vision,” Haffner said. “Together we can make a generational impact for the great state of Missouri.”
Earlier Monday, Rep. Ben Baker announced his bid for Speaker Pro Tem. Rep. Jon Patterson is also planning on a bid for floor leader, he said Monday afternoon. The elections will be held in the fall of 2022.
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Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
