Ricky Dana
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Personal
Contact
Ricky Dana (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 4th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Dana completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Ricky Dana was born in Waverly, Missouri. He graduated from Marshall High School. He earned an associate degree from the University of Phoenix in 2007 and attended Western Governors University. His career experience includes working as a web design specialist and musician. He has been affiliated with the Writers Guild of America and Broadcast Music, Inc.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Missouri's 4th 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.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2026
NOTE: On May 9, 2025, Dana's campaign requested an edit to his answer to the question: Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? Dana's answer originally included the following: "I admire leaders like Reagan and
Thatcher who balanced conviction with pragmatism, championing liberty and limited government."
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ricky Dana completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dana's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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đž Meet Ricky Dana â A Strong Voice for Missouriâs Heartland! đž
Ricky Dana is running for U.S. House to represent Missouri District 4, and heâs committed to fighting for farmers, agribusiness, and rural communities. With deep roots in the Midwest, Ricky understands the challenges facing our regionâfrom supporting family farms to strengthening rural economies and ensuring commonsense policies that work for hardworking #Missourians.
Letâs get behind a candidate who knows the value of agriculture, small businesses, and Midwest values. đşđ¸
- MO4 #FarmersFirst #RuralStrong #MissouriValues #DanaForMissouri đ
đ Follow this page for updates!đ - Ricky wants to give rural Missourians their voice back in Washington D.C.!
- Ricky Dana will work hard to support farming families and to strengthen rural economies.
- Ricky Dana is a candidate who knows the value of agriculture, small businesses, and Midwest values. đşđ¸
Ricky Dana is driven by the economy's power to shape livelihoods: Agribusiness fuels food security, Retirement Accounts guard financial futures, and Social Security Solvency protects seniors. Economic stability supports farmers, preserves savings amid inflation, and secures retirement systems. Instability risks food access, erodes nest eggs, and endangers safety nets. Advocating for balanced policies ensures these pillars thrive-protecting dignity and prosperity for all.
[My] my true inspiration comes from everyday Americans - small business owners, veterans, parents-who live by faith, grit, and duty. Their example drives me to defend constitutional principles, foster economic opportunity, and seek commonsense solutions that unite, not divide.
âThe Righteous Mindâ by Jonathan Haidt as it explores moral foundations of politics and the need to bridge divides. It argues that people's beliefs are often driven by intuition rather than reason, and it presents a framework for understanding different moral perspectives.
I believe the most important qualities in an elected official are integrity, competence, empathy, and a commitment to serving the public good-balancing principled leadership with pragmatic problem-solving to improve lives while upholding democracy.
I bring grit from working Main Street jobs, a backbone forged by rural values, and the integrity to put people over politics. I listen first, act decisively, and fight for commonsense solutions-lower costs, safer streets, and schools that empower every student. I'll work across the aisle to fix kitchen-table issues, because leadership isn't about ego-it's about delivering results that lift all Americans.
The core responsibilities of an elected official are to faithfully represent constituents' needs, uphold the law and democratic institutions, craft equitable and evidence-based policies, act with transparency and accountability, safeguard public resources, address crises with urgency and foresight, and prioritize the long-term well-being of all citizens over partisan or personal gain.
I would like to leave a legacy where workers thrive, corruption crumbles, and every kid-no matter their zip code-has a fair shot. I want to be remembered as the people's fighter who turned anger into action, built bridges over divides, and proved government can work when it's powered by grit, not greed.
The Challenger explosion (1986) is my first vivid historical memory - I was 8, watching live in school. It taught me life's fragility, the cost of ambition, and the need for unshakable integrity in leadership.
My first job in high school was at Taco Bell, and it taught me the value of showing up, even when it's tough. Grinding through late shifts, mastering teamwork under pressure, and earning my first paycheck shaped my work ethic. It proved that discipline-even in small tasks-builds resilience and opens doors. That foundation drives me to fight for policies that reward, not punish, hardworking Americans.
"The Right Stuffâ by Tom Wolfe - it celebrates American grit, innovation, and the fearless spirit that built greatness. Like those pioneers, I'll fight to revive Missouri's backbone: secure borders, energy independence, and policies that reward hard work. Honor the past, protect the future.
Jean-Luc Picard - a leader who navigated galaxies with courage, curiosity, and unshakable integrity. He listened first, sought common ground between warring worlds, and never wavered from his principles-even when it was easier to fire phasers. In today's divided politics, we need more captains who boldly steer toward unity, not chaos. His mantra? âMake it SO.â
John Denver's âTake Me Home, Country Roadsâ-it's a hymn for hardworking folks who love their land, neighbors, and simple truths. That melody sticks because it echoes what l'll fight for: preserving rural roots, pride, and the right to pass down a better Missouri to our kids.
Losing my mother this year and battling
MS have tested me, but they've deepened my grit and empathy. These struggles drive me to fight harder for Missourians-expanding healthcare access, supporting families, and ensuring no one faces life's battles alone. Adversity taught me that
resilience fuels purpose. The U.S. House of Representatives is uniquely characterized by its population-based representation, exclusive power to initiate revenue bills, two-year terms fostering responsiveness, a centralized leadership structure (e.g., Speaker's agenda control), specialized committees (e.g., Ways and Means), and its role as the sole body to impeach federal officials.
These features prioritize swift, localized, and partisan-sensitive governance, distinguishing it from the Senate's deliberative, state-equitable approach.
Prior experience can foster expertise and legislative savvy, but outsiders often bring fresh perspectives, reduce insider bias, and better reflect evolving public priorities. Effectiveness hinges on integrity and adaptability, not just tenure.
I believe the U.S. faces political polarization, economic inequality/climate change, healthcare costs, immigration, Al disruption, global competition, and Social Security solvency. Partisan divides stall solutions, but threats to democracy, inflation, and tech-driven job shifts are urgent shared concerns.
Two-year terms prioritize constant campaigning over governing, leaving little time for complex policy work or long-term solutions. Reducing House membership would streamline decision-making, while staggered three-year terms would ensure continuity, curb abrupt partisan swings, and let representatives focus on governance, not perpetual elections.
Term limits are broadly popular in the U.S., with polls showing majority support across parties. They prevent career politicians, reduce corruption, and encourage fresh ideas.
America needs more bipartisan negotiators like Sen. John McCain and Rep. Charlie Dent-who prioritized country over party, brokered deals (e.g., immigration, climate), and built trust across divides. Their legacy proves progress demands collaboration, not polarization. Elected officials should embody governing with courage, integrity, and results-driven pragmatism.
An area farmer once shared how closing their local hospital forced his wife to drive 85 miles for chemotherapy, missing harvest and nearly losing their land. It underscores rural healthcare's collapse and the human cost of neglect-fueling my drive to fight for accessible care and infrastructure. This is just one of many of the widespread challenges of healthcare access and economic strain faced by farming communities in the region.
Why do political debates feel like highway traffic? Because everyone's honking about left vs. right lanes - but we'd all move faster if we just turned down the air... and fixed the potholes! đđ¨
Compromise is the cornerstone of functional governance in a pluralistic society. In a nation as diverse as the U.S., rigid ideological absolutism often fuels gridlock, leaving urgent challenges unaddressed. Compromise balances competing values, merges evidence with public will, and crafts durable solutions that respect varied perspectives. History's landmark achievements-from the Constitution to civil rights laws-emerged through negotiation, proving that progress hinges on finding common ground, not unilateral victory. While principles must anchor decisions, rejecting compromise risks marginalizing voices and eroding trust in democracy itself. Effective leadership demands bridging divides to serve the collective good.
As a constitutionalist , I'd fiercely defend the House's exclusive revenue power to block reckless spending, cut wasteful programs, and ensure every tax dollar serves taxpayers
ânot bloated government. This duty demands prioritizing fiscal discipline, transparency, and policies that grow paychecks, not bureaucracy.
The House should focus investigations on exposing waste/fraud, ensuring executive accountability, and informing legislation
âprioritizing bipartisan issues like border security, agency overreach, and taxpayer-funded programs. Avoid partisan theater; seek facts, not headlines, to drive reforms that protect citizens and constitutional principles.
Ways and Means, judiciary, and energy and commerce.
Transparent governance fosters trust, while secrecy erodes it-making financial openness and accountability non-negotiable for a functional democracy.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
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See also
External links
- â Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 5, 2025
Senators
Representatives
Republican Party (8)
Democratic Party (2)
