Missouri will lose big names in Congress as 3 fresh faces are ready to step in

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Missouri voters are losing three veteran lawmakers in Congress meaning the state will send three brand-new faces to Washington D.C. following the midterm elections.

Longtime Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt is retiring and Republican Representatives Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long are stepping down after they lost their campaigns for U.S. Senate.

Southeast Missouri State University political expert Dr. Jeremy Walling explained the impact Missouri could feel when three new people will be elected to Congress.

“So, no ones been in Congress before, no one knows what this is going to be like, and so it’s going to be awhile before we see major impacts from these people,” he said.

The newly-elected lawmakers will also not have seniority status within their party which could limit the amount of say they on the ways bills are written.

“What we see time and time again is to get anything done, you need your party, you need your leadership. So, eventually what you’re going to see is probably most of these people falling in line,” Walling said.

He added, losing Senator Blunt is sure to have an impact on the state.

“He’s a loss he’s been around for so long, he’s opened a lot of doors he’s networked. He’s made a lot of connections with the leadership. So that’s going to be a loss for the state,” said Walling.

This November, voters will also decide which party takes power in the House and Senate.

Right Democrats hold power in both, by slim margins.