Rep. Mike Haffner will run for re-election to the Missouri House in 2022 instead of mounting a rumored congressional bid, he announced today. A Republican, Haffner remains committed to vying for the majority floor leader spot.
“Each one of us knows Washington is broken and in need of principled conservatives with integrity, strength, and wisdom to lead in these challenging times. I am humbled by the encouragement from current and former colleagues, numerous combat veterans, as well as countless supporters to consider entering the race for Missouri’s 4th congressional district,” Haffner said Thursday.
“I will never retreat from this battle to save our country, but my mission has remained the same: to provide combat-tested and proven leadership where it will have the greatest impact and that is working with our House Republicans in 2022 and beyond,” he continued.
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.
He informed his colleagues of his intention to run for majority floor leader in May, with a three-pronged pitch:a clear and succinct vision, enhanced communication with weekly and daily floor schedules, and a focus on policy teams to coordinate debates.
Haffner owns and operates a Christmas tree farm and is a highly-decorated 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.
“It is an honor to do the people’s work and to serve alongside you. Together I know we can pass an agenda that protects our freedoms by limiting government’s role in our lives and make Missouri a better place to live, work, and raise our families. Together we will hold the line,” Haffner said Thursday. “All 6 million Missourians are counting on us.”
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.