Taylor Burks announces bid for Missouri’s 5th District seat

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks announced his bid for Missouri’s newly drawn Fifth District House seat in a Thursday press release.

Burks, a Republican, has ran for congressional seats earlier this decade, including in the Third and Fourth districts. Filing for the Aug.4 primary opens Feb. 24.

“Missouri deserves a representative who understands our communities, our economy, and our way of life,” Burks was quoted in the release. “In Congress, I will stand strong for Mid-Missouri, defend our values, protect our freedoms, and fight for economic policies that grow our way of life here in Missouri.”

Burks was appointed in 2017 by former Gov. Eric Greitens to serve as Boone County’s clerk, but lost the seat in 2018 to Brianna Lennon. He owns a business in the area and has served with the Navy and Navy Reserves for 19 years and is currently ranked as a commander, according to Thursday’s press release. The release also lists a number of medals he earned for his service.

He is listed as a member of Truman State University’s Board of Governor’s on the school’s website and the release mentions work he did with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YMCA.

The release includes a slew of endorsements of current and former government officials from the Mid-Missouri area, including Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson, former Boone County Southern District Commissioner Fred Parry, former state Rep. Chuck Bayse and former US Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.

The Fifth District is currently represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver and he is the only candidate who has a committee filed with the Federal Election Commission