Missouri’s 4th Congressional District is made up of rural communities, family farms, and working-class towns that form the backbone of our state. But the man representing us in Congress — Mark “Awful” Alford — doesn’t come from any of that. In fact, he’s never lived in rural Missouri at all.
📌 The Facts About Mark “Awful” Alford
- Born in Baytown, Texas — not Missouri.
- Spent most of his career as a TV anchor in Kansas City, not in farm fields or small-town government.
- Currently lives in Lake Winnebago, a suburban lakeside community in Cass County — not a rural town or farm.
🚫 A Real Disconnect With Rural Missouri
Alford talks about rural values on TV and social media, but when it comes to real experience — farming, livestock, small-town economics, or rural healthcare — he’s just not part of it.
- No agricultural background. His campaign website highlights his TV career, not any experience with agriculture or rural economics.
- No record of living in rural communities. He’s never been a resident of places like Sedalia, Warsaw, El Dorado Springs, or Mexico, Missouri — where real rural Missourians live and work.
- No history of local office or community involvement in rural government. He never served on a county board, a rural school board, or a farm bureau committee before running for Congress.
💬 What Rural Missourians Are Saying
At public events, including a February 2025 town hall in Belton, rural residents expressed frustration. Several questioned why Alford hadn’t visited their communities, or why their issues — like access to clean water, farm credit, and local hospitals — weren’t even mentioned.
“We haven’t seen him in our county at all, and I don’t think he could tell you where our town is on a map.” — Resident from Benton County, during a KCUR town hall.
🔍 Why It Matters
- Rural Missouri needs real representation. Decisions about agriculture, water, roads, schools, and healthcare must be made by people who live them — not just read about them on teleprompters.
- Alford’s record reflects suburban and donor-driven priorities — not the everyday needs of small towns and farm families.
- Being from Missouri matters. He only moved here years before running for Congress — not enough time to know what rural Missourians truly need.
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