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Missouri House District 156: Republican Brian Seitz

Missouri House of Representatives District 156 candidate and incumbent, Brian Seitz.
Photo submitted by Brian Seitz.
Missouri House of Representatives District 156 candidate and incumbent, Brian Seitz.

Incumbent Brian Seitz is running against Republican Carolyn Boss for District 156, which represents Taney County, in the August 6 Primary Election. The only Democrat in the race for the 156th House seat is Janis Beacham.

Welcome representative sites and thanks for joining us.

"Thank you. Great to be here."

Tell us about yourself and why you feel you are a good candidate to continue serving in the Missouri House of Representatives.

"Sure. Basically, some of my background is I pastored Sovereign Grace Baptist Church for about 10 years and have taught scripture for over 35. And so I look at things from a biblical worldview, even in the statehouse. And I'm also an 82nd Airborne Army paratrooper veteran. I served at Fort Bragg from 1983 through 1986, and locally, I have a degree in communications and public relations from Southwest Missouri State. That is, of course, now Missouri State. So, I think the background that I've had, I've also owned a business called Music Country News here in the Branson area for 15 years, letting people know about all the exciting things that we have here in Branson that they can come and visit and just have a relaxing vacation here. So I think I'm well rounded. As far as being a state representative, my personality type is such that I can build bridges, and I think that's very important in government. Now, we seem to have a lot of people wanting to burn the house down while they're sitting in the (Missouri) House. That makes no sense to me. So I can build the bridges necessary to pass good legislation."

 

Which issues are most important to you and why?

"Right. I am a, of course, a pro-life Republican. I think what's going on right now with the possibility of a return to abortion on demand through even the states constitution here in Missouri, I think I'm going to be fighting tooth and nail even during this after session time period, to see that abortion does not become ensconced in our state constitution. I think the secondary issue would be taxation. We've seen rampant inflation, especially during the Biden economy. Rampant inflation, and families are having a hard time just putting food on the table or finding a place to live. So I think we can provide help by lowering taxes, especially for low income seniors and those that are most affected."

 

Why are you running for reelection?

"Yeah, basically, I think I've represented this area well. The Branson, Hollister and the surrounding cities are a very Republican area. As most people know, we are a Christian conservative area that people believe in the Constitution and the rule of law. And I think I represent that in the state house. I am the chair of the tourism committee as well. So I have the bully pulpit to promote this area — all of southwest Missouri, including Springfield, Branson and Hollister and the cities nearby — that this is a great place to live, to raise a family, to vacation. And I think I advocate well for this area.

 

And that leads well into my next question. What do you think makes your district unique, and how will you represent that in Jefferson City?

 
"Yes, I think Branson proper is unique, even in the United States of America, that we have people from across the country and sometimes even around the world visiting our city. So that brings in — $18 billion to the state comes from tourism. Branson, Missouri is responsible for 22.2% of that $18 billion in revenue that comes into the state. So I think I'm uniquely qualified to represent this area. My children were raised here. They've all been in shows and things like that. So I understand it from a business perspective, and I understand it from an entertainment perspective. So I think I'm probably the best advocate for this area that the people could vote for."

 

Running for office and serving in office as a state lawmaker opens you up to a lot of scrutiny and criticism. Do you feel that the personal costs for you and your family are worth it and why?

"Well, I think transparency has been a hallmark of my administration in that I purposely let the folks know from the area, from the state, as a matter of fact, what I'm doing, what bills I'm promoting, what bills I'm sponsoring or co-sponsoring. Transparency is a key to being a good legislator. I think oftentimes people will run for the office because they may want the title or something. They win the office and then they disappear until the next election. That doesn't happen. I'm involved with so many groups throughout the area, and during the summer period when we're not in session, it's daily that I am with some group, whether it be a veterans group, a seniors group, a church group, a business group advocating and learning what they need so that I can be effective in the state house."

How productive do you think Missouri legislative sessions have been in recent years, and what would improve the legislature's productivity and effectiveness?

"Yeah, I really don't think we have been very effective. I think our supermajority has been squandered in the past couple of years. The big red things that other states, Florida, Tennessee, possibly even Texas, Oklahoma that they get done, we seem to have a difficulty because, and I would suggest this is the number one reason, there is a lack of communication between leadership offices. We have, as Republicans, control of all of the branches and government in the state, and yet they rarely communicate. The governor doesn't talk to the senate pro tem. The senate pro tem doesn't talk to the speaker of the house. The floor leader doesn't talk to ad infinitum. There is a lack of communication. If we could do a better job of communicating, building those bridges and finding commonality, we could get more done for the state."

 

What's something you'd like to share with voters that most people might not know about you?

"Well, I am a comic book collector. I think my favorite character is Superman. And being a politician, we know that Superman stands for truth, justice and the American way. I've got about 40,000 comic books. That's my escape. That and science fiction and things like that. I really enjoy that genre. As a matter of fact, my grandson is named Kal-El, which is Superman's Kryptonian name. So that's my grandson's name is Kal-El. That's, I think, a fun thing that people would want to know."

 

Well, thank you, Representative Seitz, for joining us today.

"Absolutely. Thank you very much. And God bless."

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.