Voters in Missouri’s newly redrawn 4th Congressional District, which now includes Kansas City west of Troost Avenue, have decided on their candidates for the general election.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mark Alford won the Republican primary with more than 77% of the vote, according to complete but unofficial results. He’ll face Democratic challenger Jordan Herrera, who won 30% of the vote in a crowded primary against six other candidates, in November.
“We are the underdogs going into the general,” Herrera said at his election watch party Tuesday night after results came in. “And that's OK because every single person underestimated me, my visions, my dream, and my team before we got to this point.”
Alford was endorsed by President Donald Trump, and has run on supporting the president in many of his decisions, including the country’s war with Iran and military support for Israel.
Earlier this year, Alford suggested U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement build a detention center in Cass County after Kansas City, Missouri, worked to stop the effort.
Alford thanked Trump for his endorsement in a social media post on Tuesday night.
“Thanks much,” the representative wrote.
Thanks much @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/Sg4W50KW8n
— Mark Alford 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@markalfordkc) August 5, 2026
Alford’s Democratic challenger, Herrera, is a former assistant attorney general who supports student loan reform, healthcare and housing affordability, abortion access and marriage equality. The U.S. Air Force veteran has called Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide, but has said he supports continued funding for Israel with restrictions. He has also called for an end to the war in Iran.
Herrera originally signed up to run in the 5th District against U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, but he opted to run in the district where he lives after Republican redistricting efforts took effect.
“We're going to take this campaign and win in November of this year,” Herrera said Tuesday night. “We're going to flip a red seat blue and get Mark Alford out of the United States Congress.”
Republican support for Alford remained steady in the newly redrawn district. He received more than 82% of the vote in Cass County, according to complete but unofficial results, and about the same in Kansas City and Jackson County portions of the district.
The 4th District is still solidly Republican, but Missouri’s redistricting effort made it more competitive. The Cook Partisan Voting Index ranked the district as solidly Republican before redistricting, when the safe rural seat leaned Republican by 23 points. After redistricting, it now includes portions of more heavily Democratic Kansas City and leans Republican by only 10 points.
