Making responsible choices in Legislature

By State Rep. Bruce Sassmann, Missouri’s 62nd District
Posted 11/9/22

I hope on Wednesday, November 9th, you’ve witnessed a great red wave across the country.

I hope the Republican party is the new majority in Congress, House and Senate. But, there’s one …

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Making responsible choices in Legislature

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I hope on Wednesday, November 9th, you’ve witnessed a great red wave across the country.

I hope the Republican party is the new majority in Congress, House and Senate. But, there’s one more step.

Each of our governments, federal and state, are tasked with the responsibility of electing new leadership.

On the day after the November General Election, Missouri legislators will gather in Jefferson City to elect their next leadership teams. The new leadership team in the House will guide the 102nd legislative members through the next 2-year cycle beginning January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024.

Dean Plocher, the presumptive speaker of the House was elected to his office mid-term. Still to be elected are the floor leader, assistant floor leader, speaker pro tem, whip, caucus chair and caucus secretary.

Electing leadership from our peer group is challenging.

As you can imagine, there are subdivisions with the Republican caucus. There are personal ambitions and promises made to further hidden agendas.

Lobbyists weigh in with campaign contributions to candidates hoping to have an influence with the outcome of the leadership elections. And then, there are those of us who just want the best person for the tasks ahead.

Now imagine, you have just been elected. You don’t know the candidates seeking leadership positions. You don’t know their temperament, their knowledge base, their ability to work with members of the leadership team or the caucus.

You don’t know if you can work with them or if they will work with you.   

From the very first day as a freshman, you begin making those decisions that have consequences you can’t begin to imagine. I have reached out to many of the incoming freshman to offer information to help base their decisions. There are other upper classmen doing the same thing. Even the candidates themselves are traveling the state looking for support from the new members and also from the returning legislators.

I was lucky my freshman year.

I picked the winners and got on the good side of the leadership team. It has real advantages.

There are others not so lucky.

This year, on the day after the General Election, I will return to Jefferson City to cast my vote for the next leadership team. The choices will have an influence on my personal successes as a legislator.    

The choices will also have an influence on the outcome of many future pieces of legislation. Ultimately, the choices we make will determine the prosperity of our state and our chances of successes as each of us try to live our best life.

Thank you for your support during my freshman years as your Missouri State Representative. As I move into the next session and gain seniority, I will continue to take this responsibility seriously for your benefit. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office if there is anything we can do to help.