Powerful Missouri Republican Sam Graves to retire, sparking race for Northland seat

Kacen Bayless, The Kansas City Star on Mar 27, 2026

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, the powerful Missouri Republican known for his ability to work across party lines, will retire and not seek a 14th term in Congress.

Graves, 62, whose sweeping 6th District in northern Missouri touches Kansas City’s Northland, confirmed his planned exit on social media Friday morning. His retirement, which had been rumored for weeks, is virtually certain to set off a mad dash of Republicans hoping to vie for his seat.

“After considerable reflection, 2026 will be my final year in Congress,” Graves wrote. “This wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one. I believe in making room for the next generation. It’s time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward and chart a path forward for Missourians.”

The announcement from Graves came just days before Tuesday’s candidate filing deadline for the 2026 election. A growing list of Republicans has been floated as potential candidates, including Kansas City council member Nathan Willett and state Rep. Mazzie Christensen from Bethany.

Amid reports of Graves’ retirement, national radio host Chris Stigall announced that he would file to run for the seat. Willett, who has filed to run for the Missouri Senate, posted a lengthy tribute to Graves but did not say whether he would jump into the race.

Tributes to Graves rolled in Friday morning across party lines, from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, a Democrat, to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican. Graves, an airline pilot from Tarkio, was first elected to Congress in 2000 and serves as chair of the powerful House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

In the world of Trump-era partisan clashes, Graves has been hailed as an advocate for bringing money back to Kansas City and his district.

“From KCI Airport to the Kansas City Streetcar, the involvement of Representative Sam Graves has helped deliver some of our community’s most important projects over the past generation,” Lucas said in a statement. “I wish him well as he closes his time in the United States Congress.”

Kehoe wrote in a statement that Graves “served with humility, working hard to deliver real results for Missouri families.”

“His strong record of leadership on investing in transportation, protecting the future of Missouri agriculture, and supporting our nation’s military will leave a lasting impact on our state,” Kehoe said. “We join Missourians in thanking Congressman Graves and his family for his decades of service and dedication to our state and nation.”

Graves’ northern Missouri 6th District was shifted slightly after state lawmakers passed a gerrymandered congressional map last year. But the district lines are still largely expected to favor Republicans.

As a roster of Republicans weigh potential campaigns, three Democrats have filed to run for the seat: Scot Pondelick and Matt Levine of Kansas City and Josh Smead from Liberty.