Democrat Raithel launches 44th House District candidacy

EDITOR'S NOTE: The story has been corrected to reflect that John Martin ran against Adrian Plank in the 47th District.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Democrat who challenged the Republican incumbent in the 44th Missouri House District will run again next year.

Dave Raithel announced his candidacy with a news release Tuesday. Raithel has already been raising money for months after forming a campaign finance committee.

Raithel lost to Republican Cheri Toalson Reisch last year. But with Reisch term-limited out of the House after her current term, the seat is up for grabs in 2024.

Raithel is the only Democrat to have formed a campaign committee in the 44th. Republican John Martin, a Columbia business owner, announced his candidacy in August. Martin ran and lost in the 47th House District to Democrat Adrian Plank in 2022.

Raithel says the country is threatened by grievance politics championed by the right.

"Next year's election will not be a choice between Republican or Democrat, but rather democracy or chaos," Raithel said in the news release.

Raithel is a military veteran who has lived in Boone County for more than 40 years.

The district covers most of Boone County outside the Columbia city limits.