On the ballot for the Special Election on Tuesday, voters may see two names running for the State Representative seat covering the 158th district of Missouri.
That district covers Barry county and parts of the counties of Stone and Lawrence.
The vote comes after Governor Mike Parson previously appointed former State Representative of that same district, Scott Fitzpatrick to become the next State Treasurer to replace Eric Schmitt who was appointed to be the state attorney general.
The people on the ballot are Republican Candidate Scott Cupps and Democratic nominee Lisa Kalp.
Scott Cupps lives in Shell Knob with his wife, and operates a farm with his father and brother. Cupps graduated from Missouri State with a degree in Agricultural Education.
Cupps, who is in his 30s, told reporters in the past that he wants to stay focused on what’s right for Missouri and its people across the state, rather than ‘get caught up in the rhetoric’.
He also said that the General Assembly shouldn’t be passing bills for the sake of passing bills, but push legislation that’s right for Missouri.
Cupps told The Missouri Times that while being pro-gun, pro-life, and pro-community, he feels that he can get along with anyone and that’s a great ability to have as a lawmaker.
Cupps said to The Monett Times that a bill he would file would be proposed legislation outlining that state resources and that that funding cannot be used to support the enforcement of nonsensical junk science, fake fact, rhetoric based politicized federal regulation.
Lisa Kalp graduated from Boston College and moved to Missouri after studying law for a couple years in Michigan.
Kalp lives in Cassville with her two adopted daughter and raises goats and rescues horses on a small farm, while running a computer programming business.
Kalp told The Missouri Times that transportation, services for the most vulnerable, and voting rights are just a few issues Kalp wants to address. She noted to reporters that the most important aspect for her would be listening to her community and representing the constituents.
Kalp told the Monett Times that the first bill she’d file would restore funding to rural hospitals and add incentives to provide better access to doctors and specialist for those rural areas.
