Local business owner Taylor Crouse has announced his campaign for Missouri House District 11 in Buchanan County. A Northwest Missouri native and well-known conservative in St. Joseph, he will appear on the Republican primary ballot in August 2026. The seat will be open, as current State Representative Brenda Shields is term-limited.
“I’m an entrepreneur; I’ve been self-employed most of my life. I look forward to applying my own successful business principles towards improving the efficiency of our state government,” stated Crouse. “I’m excited to talk with voters and work with them to find the best solutions to maintaining our district’s way of life. I’m proud to call Buchanan County my home and raise my children here.”
Crouse is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and core conservative values—including broader school choice options and uplifting the voices of blue-collar workers. He has mentioned support for small businesses and economic development as a cornerstone of his campaign, alongside improving infrastructure and keeping taxes low. He plans to remove red tape on the state level and ensure all constituents are protected from government intrusion.
“Buchanan County residents don’t need government telling them what’s best. We know what’s best for our families, our small businesses, and our communities. As your state representative, I’ll stand up to government overreach and keep bureaucracy out of the way so our local economy can thrive. I’ll fight for a better balanced budget and to return focus to real issues like fixing our roads and bridges—not political pet projects and radical ideologies.”
Crouse lives in St. Joseph and is a local insurance and real estate agent; he is also a member of the Buchanan County Republican Central Committee and has served on the Missouri Western State University Board of Governors and the St. Joseph City Council. Additionally, he coached youth baseball for many years and was a director of Pony Express Baseball. Taylor and Holli are the proud parents of five children.
