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Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and voting is underway in Missouri. This is the whole race — the records, the claims, and what the sources actually show. Read the research, and decide which flaw you can live with.
The setup Open seat. Sam Graves (R), in office since Jan. 3, 2001, re-elected with 70.7% in 2024 and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced Mar. 27, 2026 that he would not seek re-election, reversing an earlier filing: "After considerable reflection, 2026 will be my final year in Congress… I believe in making room for the next generation. It's time to pass the torch." He is not on the November ballot. The district is rural northern Missouri across the state's full width, plus St. Joseph and the Kansas City area north of the Missouri River, including KCI airport. Cook PVI is R+19 and Cook rates it Solid R (listed as OPEN). Missouri map rule: primaries ran under the 2025 map; the general election runs under the 2022 map (Missouri Supreme Court, Sept. 3, 2026; U.S. Supreme Court stay, Sept. 25, 2026). On the ballot, at compilation strength matching SOS-sourced guides: Chris Stigall (R), Josh Smead (D) and Edward "Andy" Maidment (L) — BallotReady renders the Libertarian as "Edward 'Andy' A. Maidment," Wikipedia as "Andy Maidment." A certified Secretary of State pull is still owed.
Chris Stigall (R) The record: Conservative radio show host on Kansas City talk radio (Wikipedia). Won a five-candidate Republican primary with 44.1% (43,307 votes) over Kansas City Councilmember Nathan Willett (34.3%). Endorsed by outgoing Rep. Sam Graves and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway. No prior elected office is located in the file. Pros: In-tent conservative voice with the outgoing incumbent's endorsement; won a contested five-way primary. Cons: No elected service record — he is unproven in office, however clear his broadcast record is as rhetoric. Rhetoric is not service, and the two price differently. The flaw, plainly: Unproven — a watch-closely posture, not a demonstrated flaw.
Josh Smead (D) The record: Architect (Wikipedia). Won the Democratic primary with 47.7% over transportation security officer Matt Levine (30.2%) and Army EOD veteran Scot Pondelick (22.1%). No prior elected office is located in the file. Pros: Professional background as an architect; won a three-way primary. Cons: Unproven in office, and — as a Democrat with no service record at all — there is no record in which a Manchin-test break could even be documented. The flaw, plainly: A Democratic organizing vote offered with no exception evidence, against an in-tent alternative.
OUR CALL LiberalMind endorses Chris Stigall — as unproven, and on watch.
Both major nominees were examined at the fuller open-seat standard, and neither has an elected record in the file. The difference is party and direction: Stigall is the in-tent Republican, Graves-endorsed, with no proven flaw — endorsed openly as unproven. Edward "Andy" Maidment (L), a retired Army officer and IT security professional, is on the ballot and noted here; the file gives him no fuller policy record.
This race is one of hundreds in LiberalMind's Election 2026 coverage. For the complete breakdown — every race, claim by claim — go to liberalmindhq.com.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
--- Sources - Wikipedia, "2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri" (compilation) — roster, primaries, Stigall / Smead / Maidment records - Ballotpedia News (Mar. 30, 2026) — Graves retirement announced Mar. 27, 2026, with his statement; KCTV / Washington Examiner corroboration - BallotReady Missouri roster (sourced to the Secretary of State) — roster match; Maidment name form - Cook Political Report race table — PVI R+19, Solid R, OPEN - Ballotpedia News (Sept. 28, 2026) — map ruling history
Winner: Chris Stigall (Republican) — called by the Associated Press. This result was appended on November 4, 2026 (results wave 2); the original article above is unchanged, exactly as published before Election Day.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.