The 2026 state election cycle has already begun in the Ozarks with a spotlight on Senate District 30, which covers Springfield. The seat is currently held by Republican Lincoln Hough. Senator Hough will be term limited in 2026, leaving a vacancy that Republicans will be eager to fill and Democrats hope to compete for in the politically purple City. Hough won his last election with 57% and was elected to the seat in 2018 with 53% of the vote. One candidate each has announced for the Democratic and Republican ticket. Republican Rep. Melanie Stinnett currently represents the 133rd district in Missouri, which covers most of southwest Springfield. She was elected in 2022 and serves on various committees, including as chair of the Missouri House's Health and Mental Health Committee. She would like to continue that work in the Senate. We talked with Rep. Stinnett about why she's running, what her priorities are and what it means to represent Springfield.
Why do you want to run for the state Senate?
Rep. Stinnett: Yeah. You know, I think that my experience in health care, which led me to run for the state House, has really proven to be a valuable skill set and a valuable piece in in the House. And I think in working toward real legislation that improves lives and that policy work that goes behind that. I think from the Senate side, we can do that in an even more deliberative way. And I look forward to that opportunity just to continue to work on legislation that improves everyday lives of people back home.
How has your experience in the House prepared you for this step? And what's that experience been like?
Rep. Stinnett: Yeah, I was not really involved prior to running for office, except that I did some advocacy work at the Capitol and saw some bills to fruition and that advocacy work. And I think that that prepared me for that role in the House. And what I've enjoyed most about being in the House is being able to have these real conversations about these topics. As I mentioned, that really impact everyday lives of Missourians. I've made a commitment to really work on health care policy and on policy surrounding individuals with disabilities. And we've been able to make really positive strides and gains in those areas. And so the experience in the house for me has been a positive one. I think my colleagues have really welcomed my input and my knowledge base to be able to uplift some of those topics that are challenging, to kind of cut through the noise and find a good path forward on healthcare is a really complex topic. And so for me, it's been a really enjoyable experience and we've been able to to get some real wins.
And you mentioned healthcare and disabilities. Are those the priorities you would have if you're elected? What additional priorities would you be interested in?
Rep. Stinnett: Yeah, I think in addition to the health care and the disability focus, I also would really be interested in continuing the efforts that we have had with law enforcement and public safety. Certainly, the area of education and making sure we have great teacher pay and good classroom resources, appropriate transportation policy for education. So, I, along with those health care pieces, think those things would be top of mind for me as well. Making sure we have safer streets and great education for our children.
You kind of mentioned a few things there, but are there other specifics that you would like to accomplish, things you have seen that might need to be done from your perspective on the house, but you can't quite get done at the house?
Rep. Stinnett: One of the bills that I've worked on for three years has been dealing with prior authorizations required by insurance companies and taking a look at how we can address that challenge for families that are trying to access quality health care in a timely manner. I think we've made a lot of progress on the House side and getting that through. This year. We had a vote on the House floor of 148 to 4. We haven't been able to see that come over on the Senate and get that voted on on the Senate floor. So that would certainly be one of the priorities that I would continue to work on. I've also filed another bill every year for the past three years that has had good reception in the House, but still yet had some challenges making it over to the Senate. And that's a voting rights restoration language to allow individuals who have been incarcerated once they're no longer incarcerated, to be able to have those voting rights so that they can vote on things that are impacting them as they live and work in our, our communities. So that's been another priority of mine that I've worked really hard on and hope to continue to work on.
And obviously, you want your priorities probably to be forefront in your campaign, but what will you think will be the major issues in this election, in this race specifically, but just in general in Missouri, in the House and Senate?
Rep. Stinnett: Yeah, I mean, I think we're always looking at ways to improve. As I mentioned already, public safety, making sure that our streets are safe, and our families are living without concern and fear in their communities. I think the education piece will be probably front and center as well. So those are two that I think will definitely come out in the campaign. Things that really set me apart. I think, the healthcare background for Springfield as a community, a lot of our economy is driven by healthcare, and healthcare policies really impact what that healthcare can look like in our state. And so I really look forward again to digging into those healthcare topics and having those topics front and center in the campaign as well.
Kind of switching gears here, we don't always get such early announcements for state offices. Why is it important to get this announcement out now? And what's the campaign going to look like with, you know, so much time ahead?
Rep. Stinnett: Yeah. I wanted people to know that this is something I'm very serious about. I've enjoyed, as I said, the work and the policy side and really trying to make a difference for everyday lives of Missourians. And one of the things that has really been impactful for me, and a lot of the reasons behind the legislation that I file, is due to conversations that I have in the district. And when I'm knocking doors, and I think announcing early and letting people know that I'm in this race gives me even more opportunity to listen to people and hear from them about what's important to them. And so I really think it boils down to just an awareness level, so that people know they can come and talk with me, and we can have those conversations about what's important to them for Springfield and what's important to them in a person that's going to be representing them at that level.
What does it mean to represent Springfield in the Missouri Senate, or what would it mean?
Rep. Stinnett: Springfield is a really special place, and people say that a lot in Springfield. When we go to group meetings and collaborative meetings, we hear about how important it is that people are at the table. They're coming together for the good of Springfield. But going to the legislature. You really have that highlighted. Our delegation works really closely together. We work really collaboratively, and I think that's a reflection of our community. And I think when I look at representing Springfield in the Senate, that's what I think about just being a reflection of Springfield and the qualities and the values that Springfield has and making sure that that's shown off in the Missouri Senate. And I think that's, as I said, a special thing for Springfield. And you don't see it in Representatives, necessarily in senators across the state and some of the other areas. We routinely hear from people how we should feel blessed and lucky that we are from the Springfield area and from the Southwest Missouri region as a whole, because we are viewed as people who work together for the good of our community. And so, I think continuing to represent those ideals and values is what makes this really exciting for me.
NOTE: text edited lightly for clarity and readability and to correct the spelling of Lincoln Hough's name.