Incumbent Republican Mark Alford, Democrat Jordan Herrera, Libertarian Thomas Holbrook and Independent KathleenMae Rogers will face off Nov. 3 to represent Missouri’s 4th Congressional District.
The district includes central and western Missouri, as well as portions of the southern and eastern Kansas City metro. Missouri Republicans redrew the district’s boundaries last year in an effort to prevent Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II’s reelection in the state’s 5th District.
After a lengthy court battle, the Missouri and U.S. Supreme Courts have ruled that Missourians must vote in the districts defined by Republican-drawn maps adopted in 2022. Residents will also vote on whether to allow the 2025 map to move forward in a referendum on the gerrymandered map in the same election.
Alford won the seat with more than 71% of the vote in 2022 and 2024. The incumbent has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, and has run on supporting the president in many of his decisions.
Herrera won 30% of the vote in a crowded seven-person primary, which was conducted based on the 2025 map, to run against Alford. He said he is concerned about the cost of living and equitable development in the district.
Holbrook is a federal government contractor who said he distrusts and wants to tear down bureaucracy.
Rogers is a Marine Corps veteran running as an Independent write-in candidate.
Alford has raised more than $1.3 million, while Herrera has raised over $41,000. Funding information was not available for Holbrook and Rogers.
Mark Alford — Republican candidate (incumbent)
Political experience: Alford has held Missouri’s 4th Congressional District seat since he was elected in 2022. Before that, he was a small-business owner and news anchor who worked at Fox4.
What else? He currently serves on the House Small Business and Appropriations committees.
Platform: Alford is anti-abortion and supports the Second Amendment. Earlier this year, Alford suggested the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement build a detention center in Cass County after Kansas City, Missouri, worked to stop the effort. He has voiced support for the U.S. war in Iran and voted to provide support to Israel.
He supported Trump’s trade war with Canada, and supported the mass layoffs of federal employees. At a town hall in Belton, he told fired federal workers that “God has a plan and purpose for your life.”
He recently secured nearly $23 million in federal funding for the 4th District.
Jordan Herrera — Democratic candidate
Political experience: Herrera has not held public office. He’s a U.S. Air Force veteran and served as an assistant attorney general for Missouri.
What else? He originally signed up to run in the 5th District as a primary opponent to Cleaver, but opted to run in the 4th after Republicans’ redistricting efforts.
Platform: Herrera is running to break up monopoly power in agriculture, and he supports economic security, student loan reform, healthcare and housing affordability, abortion access and marriage equality. He 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.
Thomas Holbrook — Libertarian candidate
Political experience: Holbrook has not held public office. He is the secretary for the Missouri Libertarian Party.
What else? He ran for Congress in 2012 and 2024.
Platform: On his campaign site, Holbrook said “freedom of will” is one of his guiding principles. Holbrook is against gerrymandering and supports a free market and separation of powers. He wants to focus on eliminating bureaucracy.
KathleenMae Rogers — Independent candidate
Political experience: Rogers has not held public office. She is a Marine Corps veteran and graduate student whose research focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder treatment and accessibility.
What else? Rogers said she’s running as an Independent write-in candidate so residents will have someone who will represent them, not partisan interests. She said she will work with any good-faith actor from both parties to get things done.
Platform: Rogers’ priorities include the high cost of living, education and workforce, and government accountability. She wants more investment in rural infrastructure and support for family farms. Rogers also wants improved rural healthcare and mental health access for veterans.
