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Thomas Ross (Missouri)
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Thomas Ross (Republican Party) is running for election to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent District 161. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Biography
Thomas Ross was born in Joplin, Missouri.[1]
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 161
Thomas Ross and Louise Secker are running in the general election for Missouri House of Representatives District 161 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Thomas Ross (R) | ||
| Louise Secker (R) | ||
| ||||
 = 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
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2024
See also: Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Missouri House of Representatives District 161
Incumbent Lane Roberts defeated Shawna Ackerson in the general election for Missouri House of Representatives District 161 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lane Roberts (R) | 64.0 | 8,490 |
| Shawna Ackerson (D) | 36.0 | 4,783 | ||
| Total votes: 13,273 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 161
Shawna Ackerson advanced from the Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 161 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Shawna Ackerson | 100.0 | 719 | |
| Total votes: 719 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 161
Incumbent Lane Roberts defeated Thomas Ross in the Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 161 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lane Roberts | 65.0 | 1,523 |
| Thomas Ross | 35.0 | 819 | ||
| Total votes: 2,342 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ross in this election.
2022
See also: Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Missouri House of Representatives District 161
Incumbent Lane Roberts won election in the general election for Missouri House of Representatives District 161 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lane Roberts (R) | 100.0 | 6,819 |
| Total votes: 6,819 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 161
Incumbent Lane Roberts defeated Thomas Ross in the Republican primary for Missouri House of Representatives District 161 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lane Roberts | 72.4 | 2,405 |
| Thomas Ross | 27.6 | 917 | ||
| Total votes: 3,322 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Thomas Ross has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Thomas Ross asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Thomas Ross, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
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You can ask Thomas Ross to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing electthomasross@gmail.com.
2024
Thomas Ross did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Thomas Ross completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ross' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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"It is that same community that I have been so proud to be a part of, that I wish to represent at the State level," Thomas says, "with hopes to help further revitalize the area, while also opening up opportunities to the citizens."
Mr. Ross spent his time while with the City of Joplin helping citizens with concerns and creating solutions that all parties can be happy with on several issue. Thomas is a local who believes that he has a greater grasp on the opinions and concerns of Joplin and believes that District 161 needs a voice that is willing to speak for those concerns.
He wishes for Joplin to be represented on all issues, since EVERY vote counts.
- If elected, I intend to not only vote to best represent District 161, but also provide a few workable solutions to key issues that plague us on a state and even national level. If not now, then when? Things are progressively getting worse across our nation and current politicians talk a lot but lack when it comes to action. While working for the City of Joplin, I was the “action guy” who took to the streets to find a solution. I didn't just sit inside an office with a phone, pen and computer and make decisions on things I didn't know first-hand. I have always been a problem solver, so let me solve some of these problems.
- I plan on voting on every issue that I am able to and represent the district to the best of my ability. Unlike my opponent, I plan to vote on all issues, such as to protect our constitutional rights, protect those in retirement communities from abuse, and just to do best by the citizens I am elected to represent. I will not turn a blind eye and let the job I am elected to do, left incomplete.
- Not all issues are black and white, or in this case, Red or Blue. There has to be some common ground of common sense that we can all meet on. I believe that is how to best describe my views and stance with how I perceive Joplin and its views. We, in district 161, are a melting-pot of society, as America was intended to be. I plan to "reach across the aisle" on topics to come to a resolution instead of an endless cycle of nothing being accomplished. I hope that everyone can agree that this move sounds like a good idea, instead of the political deadlock on issues we see daily.
When it comes to education, the children are our future. I am terrified by how little those words seem to mean at the end of a day to most politicians. Seeing understaffed schools, overcrowded classrooms, lack of proper education being provided all over the state, with no one moving to resolve it. Teachers, responsible with our children, and our future, are underpaid and overworked. It is far past time for something to be done about it. My daughter will be in school before you know it, and I will not stand for the public system to fail her as it is so many today.
As far healthcare is concerned, nursing is being cut due to "budget cuts." And those who remain are overworked, underpaid, and expected to run it as if they are properly (fully) staffed. When did our lives and health take a backseat to profit? I understand it is a business, but there needs to be a line drawn that doesn't compromise patient care.
Too many times I see elected officials either abstain or absent from major votes. This is a paid position, so they should treat it like any other job. If you don't do your job, do you expect to keep it or be promoted? NO.
There are many large issues, but this one is unavoidable, and is impacting us more and more daily.
Having a policy that benefits everyone is better than the lack of one that weighs down the whole. Last I checked, we are grown adults who need to discuss and resolve, not give issues the silent treatment and pout.
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
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.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 6, 2022
