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Rep. Sam Graves sets off shockwaves with retirement

An illustration showing the Kansas City skyline with the words "Kansas City Today"

Missouri’s 2026 election cycle got a jolt last week when longtime U.S. Rep. Sam Graves announced his retirement. His departure could tell us a lot about where the GOP stands going into the midterm elections — and could make the 6th Congressional District race a lot more competitive.

The Republican from Tarkio, 62, first won his seat in 2000 in a district that stretches across all of Missouri's northern third. The recently redrawn Missouri congressional map adds even more of Kansas City into the seat. St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum reports on what this means for the 2026 elections.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Jodi Fortino. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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As KCUR’s education reporter, I cover how the economy, housing and school funding shape kids' education. I’ll meet teachers, students and their families where they are — late night board meetings, in the classroom or in their homes — to break down the big decisions and cover what matters most to you. You can reach me at jodifortino@kcur.org.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
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