Conservative KC councilman aims to capitalize on U.S. Rep. Sam Graves’ retirement
Greetings, Star readers.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at the ambitious Kansas City councilman who wasted no time filing to run for the seat that retiring Republican congressman Sam Graves has held for 25 years.
Next, we’ll get into:
• ‘Memories are short’: After a yearslong fight to rid Missouri of abusive Christian boarding schools, advocates warn that this revived bill could place children in harm’s way again.
• Property tax relief?: GOP infighting stalled part of Kansas lawmakers’ property tax agenda. But one bill that narrowly passed would let a small minority of voters overhaul local budgets.
This week in politics
Graves’ retirement after 13 terms representing a district that includes Kansas City’s Northland is expected to spark a rush of Republican candidates vying for his seat.
On Monday, Platte County Republican Nathan Willett took the first step by filing to run in Graves’ district. Willett, who had previously launched a campaign for Missouri Senate, has taken steps in recent weeks to raise his profile among GOP primary voters.
After an employee at KCI Airport was accused of secretly recording women, Willett seized on the issue and publicly pushed for fewer all-gender bathrooms at the airport. And during a routine budget discussion last week, Willett offered an amendment that he said would have added more funding for Kansas City’s police.
“We need the next generation of conservatives to step up and believe (Willett would) be the perfect option to bring together the people of North Missouri,” Platte County Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker and Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said in a joint statement.
A math teacher by trade, Willett has represented a Northland district on the Kansas City Council since 2023.
Read the full story, including the other candidates who are running for Graves’ seat.
More from this past week
• Kansas lawmakers sent Gov. Laura Kelly legislation that would revoke in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants. Here’s why the odds could be stacked against the bill becoming law.
• A seismic ruling by a Cole County Circuit Court judge paved the way for Missouri’s new gerrymandered congressional map to go into effect for the 2026 election.
• Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas ended months of speculation about whether he would run for congress in a new gerrymandered district. Here’s why he ultimately chose not to.
Looking for more?
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That’s all for now! See you next week.
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