Sam Graves wins reelection to U.S. House, representing Kansas City’s Northland region
Rep. Sam Graves easily won reelection to Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, continuing a two-decade long string of representing the Kansas City northlands and much of the northern part of the state.
The Associated Press called the race for Graves, a Tarkio Republican, at 8:46 p.m. Graves was winning 69.3% of the vote, compared with 30.6% for Democrat Pam May, 1.7% for Libertarian Andy Maidment and 0.9% for Green Party candidate Mike Diel, according to the AP.
“I greatly appreciate the trust the voters have placed in me once again,” Graves said in a statement. “The next two years will be consequential and I will continue working to ensure our families can afford to live and our border is secure. It’s the honor of a lifetime to represent North Missouri and I look forward to continuing as our voice in Congress.”
Graves, 60, is the longest serving member in Missouri’s congressional delegation, having first been elected in 2000. He serves as the chairman of the House Transportation Committee — a powerful role that gives him authority over how federal money is spent on infrastructure improvements throughout the country.
As an amateur pilot, the role has also allowed Graves to help the general aviation industry through his work on legislation overseeing the Federal Aviation Administration.
While Graves has spent more than 23 years in Congress, he would have to serve another 18 years to overtake the state’s longest serving Congressman — former Rep. Clarence Cannon, from Elsbury. Cannon, who was a prominent chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, now has an office building named after him in Washington.
