Charles West (Missouri)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Charles West

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 2, 2022

Personal

Birthplace

Memphis, Mo.

Profession

Automation and electrical account manager

Contact

Campaign website

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Charles West (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 6th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 2, 2022.

West completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Charles West was born in Memphis, Missouri. He attended Culver-Stockton College for undergraduate study. His career experience includes working as an automation and electrical account manager. West has served as a school board member and has been affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Eagles and Masons.

Elections

2022

See also: Missouri's 6th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Incumbent Sam Graves defeated Henry Martin and Andy Maidment in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sam Graves (R)	70.3	184,865
		Henry Martin (D)	27.5	72,253
		Andy Maidment (L)	2.2	5,774

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 262,892
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Henry Martin defeated Charles West and Michael Howard in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Henry Martin	46.2	13,488
		Charles West	33.4	9,761
	Submit photo	Michael Howard	20.4	5,959

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,208
= 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 election

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Incumbent Sam Graves defeated Christopher Ryan, Brandon Kleinmeyer, Dakota Shultz, and John Dady in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sam Graves	75.7	72,996
		Christopher Ryan	8.1	7,848
		Brandon Kleinmeyer	7.7	7,414
		Dakota Shultz	6.1	5,902
		John Dady	2.4	2,309

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 96,469
= 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.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Andy Maidment advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andy Maidment	100.0	350

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 350
= 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.

2020

See also: Missouri's 6th Congressional District election, 2020

Missouri's 6th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Democratic primary)

Missouri's 6th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Incumbent Sam Graves defeated Gena Ross and Jim Higgins in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sam Graves (R)	67.1	258,709
		Gena Ross (D)	30.8	118,926
		Jim Higgins (L)	2.1	8,144

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 385,779
= 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.

Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Gena Ross defeated Ramona Farris (Unofficially withdrew), Henry Martin, Charles West, and Donald Robert Sartain in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gena Ross	32.8	14,503
		Ramona Farris (Unofficially withdrew)	26.9	11,882
		Henry Martin	21.3	9,393
		Charles West	15.7	6,951
		Donald Robert Sartain	3.3	1,447

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 44,176
= 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.

Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Victor Abundis (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Incumbent Sam Graves defeated Christopher Ryan in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sam Graves	79.7	81,584
		Christopher Ryan	20.3	20,826

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 102,410
= 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.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6

Jim Higgins advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 6 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Higgins	100.0	431

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 431
= 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

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Charles West completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by West's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised on a small farm in rural Northern Missouri, I’m the son of factory workers who instilled the value of hard work and determination in my upbringing. From working with our horses, cattle and hogs or bucking bales on the farm to putting in an honest days work, I want to make sure to instill that same determination and work ethic in my daughter and future generations.

​After graduating from Clark County High School in 1998 I attended Culver Stockton College on a football scholarship, where I studied Sports Medicine. After a career ending knee injury, I re-entered the workforce; where I entered the fields of Power Transmission, Electrical and Automation for factories and private contractors. My career has given me the great opportunity to work with the many unions across the states of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Whether on factory floors or construction sites these unions are the backbone of our workforce and I fully support the many unions across the state of Missouri and this Country! In my free time I am a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Canton Missouri, and a member of The Masons. I am also a current board member for the Clark County R-1 School district. I am an avid hunter and love fishing and hunting with my daughter. I also enjoy attending car shows, watching the St. Louis Cardinals, and the KC Chiefs with my family.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Education: Missouri's public schools have fallen through the cracks. With our former administration and lawmakers devoting so much attention to private and charter schools, our public schools and children have been paying the consequences of neglect. Schools have been losing talented educators to our neighboring states for years due to lack of pay and resources. As the cost of a college education continues to rise, subjecting graduates to enormous student loan debt, trade schools and trade classes in our high schools are an attractive alternative. Trade schools and classes provide students affordable skills to help them land good paying jobs that will allow them to stay in their local communities.
• Infrastructure: Missouri needs to develop and put into place a comprehensive plan for flood control along the Mississippi and Missouri river bottoms. Too many Missourians lose their homes and livelihoods to floods. The Corp of Engineers and MODOT need to work towards making improvements to levees and roads to ensure flooding doesn't affect homes, farms, businesses and commuters. We also need to make sure aging roads, bridges, sewer and water systems are improved all over the state; especially in rural areas. In addition to addressing needs in transportation infrastructure, affordable access to high speed internet for all of Missouri should be a priority so everyone can have the same opportunities for education, work and entertainment.
• Healthcare: While many companies still provide employer sponsored health insurance benefits, the employee share of the cost of those benefits continues to rise. For those who don’t have access to employer sponsored healthcare plans, the cost of private insurance is sometimes beyond their reach. No US citizen should be without healthcare. My plan would provide access to affordable health care to everyone who wants it, whether it be through eligibility for Medicare or some other public or private option. The cost of treating the uninsured can go a long way to paying for coverage for everyone. Prescription drug coverage is another issue that needs focused attention.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education. Infrastructure. Healthcare, Farms and Jobs.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have always looked up to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln faced adversity his entire life and overcame everything he faced with hard work and wit. He faced enormous odds when elected President and did everything possible to hold the Union together throughout the Civil War. I would like to follow his example of hard work and working together to make things better for all.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am outspoken and a very good listener. An elected official needs to possess both of these qualities to be a good representative.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe that someone elected to this office needs to be in his/her District as much as possible to see what is going on and what needs to be done. They need to speak to their constituents continuously to see what is happening on a daily basis. There are too many elected officials that completely forget where they came from and who elected them and sit back and expect to get re-elected every time just because they are the incumbent. This needs to change! The status quo can not stand.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that I remember was when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. We were watching the launch in school when the horrible event happened. I will always remember it.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I grew up working on my families small farm. We raised horses, cattle and hogs. My first job was helping my neighbors sheer sheep when I was eight years old. I also helped all my neighbors buck hay and straw bales in the summer.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

John J. Dunbar from Dances with Wolves. He is a person that has dreams and follows them. He does what is right for everyone.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The U.S. House is here to listen to it's constituents and then proceed to make laws that will help those people. This is what makes it unique in my opinion.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. I think we need new ways of thinking to move ahead as a nation. We have too many people in elected positions that have been set in their ways and have no desire to do the work that they were elected for.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Hate, fearmongering and lack of respect for the American people. The country has had hate filled rhetoric shoved down their throats since the last administration and people would rather believe lies and hate than what is actually happening right in front of their face. Instead of working together to make things better, people have become accustomed to fighting and spewing lies to get their way. We need to find a way to sit down and work together as United States citizens instead of always doing everything for the party.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Yes. I would like to be on the Education and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Two years aren't really long enough to make changes that need to be done. I believe that four year terms would work better.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I think term limits are a good idea. We have too many career politicians that have been in office for 30 or more years. I do believe that experience carries major benefits, but after a certain amount of time people get too set in their ways and forget who they are actually working for.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Too many to list. Right now education is a huge factor. I visit with many educators all over the 6th District and they are all hurting right now. Missouri is 49th in funding and 50th in teacher pay. This has to change NOW!

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes. We can't do anything without compromise. That's why there is so little being done now. They have made it all about the party and not about the people.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

We need to find out what is and isn't working right now. We can see right now that there are too many things that aren't working at all and need to be changed. This is another reason that the parties need to come together and find ways that will work for everyone.

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.

2020

Charles West completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by West's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in Northern Missouri, I'm the son of factory workers who instilled the value of hard work and determination in my upbringing, and I want to make sure to instill that same determination in my daughter and future generations.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Born and raised in NE Missouri, West is running as a working class candidate who is fighting for the needs of everyday people. Running as a Democrat, his position of 'People over Party' will bridge the gap across the aisle to make sure that Missouri's issues are brought to the national forum.
• .
• .

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Missouri's public schools have fallen through the cracks. With our current administration and lawmakers devoting so much attention to private and charter schools, our public schools and children have been paying the consequences of neglect. Schools have been losing talented educators to our neighboring states for years due to lack of pay and resources. As the cost of a college education continues to rise, subjecting graduates to enormous student loan debt, trade schools and trade classes in our high schools are an attractive alternative. Trade schools and classes provide students affordable skills to help them land good paying jobs that will allow them to stay in their local communities. We all need to stand behind our public schools and teachers and make sure they have the resources they need to shape our future generations.

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.

See also

2022 Elections

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Candidate

U.S. House Missouri District 6

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Footnotes

[show]

Missouri's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Josh Hawley (R)

Eric Schmitt (R)

Representatives

District 1

Wesley Bell (D)

District 2

Ann Wagner (R)

District 3

Bob Onder (R)

District 4

Mark Alford (R)

District 5

Emanuel Cleaver (D)

District 6

Sam Graves (R)

District 7

Eric Burlison (R)

District 8

Jason Smith (R)

Republican Party (8)

Democratic Party (2)