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Missouri's 8th Congressional District

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Missouri redrew its congressional district boundaries in September 2025. Voters will elect representatives under the new map in 2026. Click here to read more about mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections.

Missouri's 8th Congressional District
Incumbent
Assumed office: June 5, 2013

Missouri's 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Jason Smith (R).

As of the 2020 Census, Missouri representatives represented an average of 770,035 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 751,435 residents.

Elections

See also: Missouri's 8th Congressional District election, 2030


There are no official candidates yet for this election.


See also: Missouri's 8th Congressional District election, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R), Gerald Cass (D), and Johnathon Tune (R) are running in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on November 3, 2026.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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See also: Missouri's 8th Congressional District election, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) defeated Randi McCallian (D) and Jake Dawson (L) in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith (R)
 
76.2
 
271,249
Image of Randi McCallian
Randi McCallian (D)  Candidate Connection
 
21.8
 
77,649
Jake Dawson (L)
 
2.0
 
7,166

Total votes: 356,064
Candidate Connection = 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

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Randi McCallian (D) defeated Franklin Delano Roth II (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Randi McCallian
Randi McCallian  Candidate Connection
 
70.4
 
12,571
Image of Franklin Delano Roth II
Franklin Delano Roth II  Candidate Connection
 
29.6
 
5,283

Total votes: 17,854
Candidate Connection = 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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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) defeated James Snider (R) and Grant Heithold (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith
 
82.3
 
98,171
Image of James Snider
James Snider
 
9.2
 
10,987
Image of Grant Heithold
Grant Heithold  Candidate Connection
 
8.5
 
10,149

Total votes: 119,307
Candidate Connection = 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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Libertarian Party primary

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Jake Dawson (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Jake Dawson
 
100.0
 
247

Total votes: 247
Candidate Connection = 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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See also: Missouri's 8th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) defeated Randi McCallian (D) and Jim Higgins (L) in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith (R)
 
76.0
 
186,472
Image of Randi McCallian
Randi McCallian (D)  Candidate Connection
 
21.9
 
53,738
Image of Jim Higgins
Jim Higgins (L)
 
2.1
 
5,185

Total votes: 245,395
Candidate Connection = 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

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Randi McCallian (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Randi McCallian
Randi McCallian  Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
16,691

Total votes: 16,691
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) defeated Jacob Turner (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith
 
82.0
 
78,342
Image of Jacob Turner
Jacob Turner
 
18.0
 
17,242

Total votes: 95,584
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Libertarian Party primary

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Jim Higgins (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jim Higgins
Jim Higgins
 
100.0
 
232

Total votes: 232
Candidate Connection = 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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See also: Missouri's 8th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) defeated Kathy Ellis (D) and Tom Schmitz (L) in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith (R)
 
76.9
 
253,811
Image of Kathy Ellis
Kathy Ellis (D)  Candidate Connection
 
21.4
 
70,561
Image of Tom Schmitz
Tom Schmitz (L)  Candidate Connection
 
1.8
 
5,854

Total votes: 330,226
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Kathy Ellis (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kathy Ellis
Kathy Ellis  Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
20,354

Total votes: 20,354
Candidate Connection = 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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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith
 
100.0
 
114,074

Total votes: 114,074
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian Party primary

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Tom Schmitz (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Tom Schmitz
Tom Schmitz  Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
265

Total votes: 265
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) defeated Kathy Ellis (D) and Jonathan Lee Shell (L) in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith (R)
 
73.4
 
194,042
Image of Kathy Ellis
Kathy Ellis (D)  Candidate Connection
 
25.0
 
66,151
Image of Jonathan Lee Shell
Jonathan Lee Shell (L)
 
1.6
 
4,206

Total votes: 264,3990
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Kathy Ellis (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kathy Ellis
Kathy Ellis  Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
33,799

Total votes: 33,799
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Incumbent Jason Smith (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jason Smith
Jason Smith
 
100.0
 
91,809

Total votes: 91,809
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian Party primary

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8

Jonathan Lee Shell (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party primary for U.S. House Missouri District 8 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jonathan Lee Shell
Jonathan Lee Shell
 
100.0
 
361

Total votes: 361
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Previous election results


District map

2023_01_03_mo_congressional_district_08.jpg

Redistricting

2025-2026

See also: Redistricting in Missouri ahead of the 2026 elections

On August 29, 2025, Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) called a special legislative session for mid-decade congressional redistricting and proposed a map that would draw parts of Kansas City into surrounding rural districts.[13] The special session began on September 3, 2025.[14] The Missouri House approved the maps on September 9, 2025, by a 90-65 vote.[15] The Missouri Senate approved the map by a 21-11 vote on September 12, 2025.[16] Kehoe signed the map into law on September 28, 2025. The map takes effect for the 2026 elections.[17]

The following maps compare the state's existing congressional districts with the congressional districts passed in 2025.

2020-2021

See also: Redistricting in Missouri after the 2020 census

After the 2020 census, Missouri enacted new congressional district boundaries on May 18, 2022, when Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed them into law. According to Rudi Keller of the Missouri Independent, "No change in the partisan makeup of the Missouri delegation, currently six Republicans and two Democrats, is expected as a result of the map." Keller also wrote, "nine counties that have shifted almost wholly or entirely into new districts. Boundaries shifted in the five large-population counties that were previously split and a new split was introduced in Boone County in central Missouri."[18] This map took effect for Missouri’s 2022 congressional elections.

The Missouri House of Representatives approved the final version of the new congressional districts on May 9, 2022, by a vote of 101-47. Eighty-six Republicans and 15 Democrats approved the new map and 28 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted against it.[19] The state Senate approved the legislation (known as HB 2909) on May 11, 2022, by a vote of 22-11. Sixteen Republicans and six Democrats voted to approve the new map and seven Republicans and four Democrats voted against.[20]

After the Senate passed the maps, Keller wrote, "The first plan, released in December with backing from the Republican leaders of both chambers, essentially kept the partisan breakdown of the state’s delegation unchanged, with six safe Republican districts and two Democratic districts in Kansas City and St. Louis. The House passed that bill in January and, after weeks of on-and-off debate, the Senate passed a significantly altered version in late March. The seven members of the Senate’s conservative caucus demanded a map that cracked the Kansas City district and combined it with a huge swath of rural counties to make it possible for the GOP to capture the seat. The “6-2” vs. “7-1” debate came to a head in February when the conservative caucus began a filibuster that blocked progress not only on the redistricting plan but also on basically every other bill. At one point, two Republican Senators got into a shouting match and had to be physically separated."[21]

How does redistricting in Missouri work? In Missouri, congressional district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[22]

In 2018, the voters passed a citizens’ initiative called Amendment 1 that reshaped the redistricting process; in 2020, the voters narrowly passed a legislatively referred initiative called Amendment 3 that reshaped the process again.

Two distinct politician commissions are ultimately responsible for state legislative redistricting, one for the Missouri State Senate and another for the Missouri House of Representatives. Membership on these commissions is determined as follows:[22]

Missouri’s congressional districts are drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto. The state legislative lines are drawn by two separate politician commissions — one for state Senate districts, one for state House districts. For each commission, each major party’s congressional district committee nominates 2 members per congressional district, and the state committee nominates 5 members; the Governor chooses 1 per district per party and two per party from the statewide lists, for a total commission of 20.[23]

2020

2019_05_02_mo_congressional_district_08.jpg

2024

2023_01_03_mo_congressional_district_08.jpg

2010-2011

This is the 8th Congressional District of Missouri after the 2001 redistricting process.
See also: Redistricting in Missouri after the 2010 census

In 2011, the Missouri State Legislature re-drew the congressional districts based on updated population information from the 2010 census.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

2026

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+27. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 27 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Missouri's 8th the 7th most Republican district nationally.[24]

2024

Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+28. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 28 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Missouri's 8th the 6th most Republican district nationally.[25]

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Donald Trump (R) would have defeated Joe Biden (D) 75.0%-23.6%.[26]

2022

Heading into the 2022 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+28. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 28 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Missouri's 8th the 6th most Republican district nationally.[27]

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 23.6% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 75.0%.[28]

2018

Heading into the 2018 elections, based on results from the 2016 and 2012 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+24. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 24 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Missouri's 8th Congressional District the 21st most Republican nationally.[29]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.03. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.03 points toward that party.[30]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. Missouri Secretary of State, "UNOFFICIAL Candidate Filing List," accessed March 30, 2016
  2. Politico, "Missouri House Primaries Results," August 2, 2016
  3. CNN, "Missouri House 08 Results," November 8, 2016
  4. The Washington Post, "Missouri Rep. Jo Ann Emerson to resign from House," accessed December 3, 2012
  5. Politico, "2012 Election Map, Missouri," accessed November 7, 2012
  6. Missouri Secretary of State, "Nov 6, 2012 General Election," accessed August 9, 2013
  7. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
  8. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
  9. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
  10. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
  11. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
  12. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
  13. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 2025session
  14. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named stlpr
  15. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named fox2now
  16. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named senate
  17. Associated Press, "Missouri governor signs Trump-backed plan aimed at helping Republicans win another US House seat," September 28, 2025
  18. Missouri Independent, "Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs new congressional redistricting plan," May 18, 2022
  19. Missouri House of Representatives, "101st General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session (HB2909)," accessed May 24, 2022
  20. Missouri Senate, "Journal of the Senate, May 11, 2022," accessed May 24, 2022
  21. Missouri Independent, "Missouri Senate adjourns early after passing congressional redistricting map," May 12, 2022
  22. 22.0 22.1 All About Redistricting, "Missouri," accessed April 16, 2024
  23. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  24. Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
  25. Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
  26. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  27. Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed February 6, 2023
  28. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  29. Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  30. FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018


Senators
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
Bob Onder (R)
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
Republican Party (8)
Democratic Party (2)