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Marty Joe Murray
2025 - Present
2027
0
Marty Joe Murray (Democratic Party) is a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, representing District 78. He assumed office on January 8, 2025. His current term ends on January 6, 2027.
Murray (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent District 78. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Biography
Marty Murray was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and a graduate degree from the University of Missouri. His career experience includes working as a senior project manager and adjunct professor at Harris Stowe State University.[1]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2026
See also: Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Missouri House of Representatives District 78
Incumbent Marty Joe Murray is running in the general election for Missouri House of Representatives District 78 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Marty Joe Murray (D) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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2024
See also: Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Missouri House of Representatives District 78
Marty Joe Murray defeated Jim Povolish in the general election for Missouri House of Representatives District 78 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Marty Joe Murray (D) | 88.4 | 9,788 |
 | Jim Povolish (R) | 11.6 | 1,280 | |
| Total votes: 11,068 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 78
Marty Joe Murray defeated Jami Cox Antwi and Jessica Pachak in the Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 78 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Marty Joe Murray | 57.4 | 2,570 |
 | Jami Cox Antwi | 31.5 | 1,409 | |
| Jessica Pachak | 11.1 | 497 | ||
| Total votes: 4,476 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 78
Jim Povolish advanced from the Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 78 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Povolish | 100.0 | 169 |
| Total votes: 169 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
To view Murray's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Murray in this election.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2024
Marty Joe Murray completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Murray's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Everything he has done politically has prepared him to be the next 78th District State Representative. His career in politics began with organizing on campus for President Obama’s first campaign. Since that point he has held political internships, worked as a consumer advocate for the Attorney General Lisa Madigan, community organizer for social issues (raising the minimum wage, reproductive rights, and criminal justice reform), and worked to elect candidates across the region. In addition to informing his community about social issues he has been to the capital to testify in committee hearings on behalf of bills and written to our State Reps, Senators and other elected officials in Jefferson City.
In August 2016 Marty beat a 23 year incumbent for the 7th ward Democratic Committeeman seat. Marty currently serves as State Committeeman representing Missouri’s 5th Senatorial District.- Our youth are the most important aspect of our future. he has shown a commitment to our children in various ways. For several years he hosted a back to school drive to make sure hundreds of students in the 78th district had the proper supplies they need to be prepared for the school year. Every school year he motivates youth to excel academically and have hired tutors to supplement knowledge gaps. When he noticed a gap in the computer science curriculum in SLPS he founded the Roy L Clay Computer Lab. He consistently pushed to get the governance back into the hands of our elected school board. As a legislator no one will fight harder to ensure our public schools are fully funded.
- There is an all out assault on Democracy. Whether that is expanding Medicaid, creating campaign finance reform or reversing Missouri’s cruel abortion ban the petition process is essential. The initiative petition has been in the Missouri Constitution for more than 100 years. Some politicians and special interest groups do not like citizens having the power to challenge their actions.The initiative petition process has given Missouri citizens the power to reform government, limit political overreach, and protect Missourians through non-partisan ballot measures. As a State Rep I will fight to protect that right. I stand tall with the community, celebrating diversity, equality, and acceptance.
- Marty has been raised to be a man of character and to hold firm to his commitments. The most important responsibility a legislator has to their constituents is to be accountable. Marty intends to engage with the district via town hall meetings, sending frequent legislative reports, ice cream socials and showing up to neighborhood meetings. He will make it easy for residents to reach the office. Additionally, listening tours will be vital for Marty leading up to the point if he is sworn in. He will use them as an opportunity for residents to submit policy suggestions. Not only will he update everyone to the weekly changes; he will make it easier for residents to support/ oppose legislation as bills work their way through committee.
Navigating the budgeting and appropriations process is essential. An elected has a vital play a role in crafting and approving budgets, allocating resources to meet the needs of the community and ensuring fiscal responsibility. The most important role to me is community engagement: Electeds must engage with the community through town hall meetings, forums, and other events, soliciting feedback, fostering dialogue, and keeping constituents informed about government activities.
State: Fmr. Senator Jamiliah Nasheed, Fmr Senator Maida Coleman, Fmr. 78D State Rep Rasheen Aldridge, 79D State Rep LaKeySha Bosley, 76D State Rep Marlon Anderson, Fmr 76D State Rep Chris Carter Sr.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Missouri scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Officeholder Missouri House of Representatives District 78 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 9, 2024
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by - |
Missouri House of Representatives District 78 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
