WESTPHALIA — Approximately 175 people attended a Republican Party dinner the evening of July 7 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Westphalia, where federal, state, and local candidates addressed voters and Missouri Right to Life Executive Director Susan Klein delivered the keynote address.

Although much of Westphalia remained without Ameren electricity following the July 4 storm, the Knights of Columbus Hall had power because it is served by Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, allowing the event to proceed as planned.

Guests were served a buffet meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, corn, coleslaw, bread and butter, followed by ice cream for dessert.

Among those attending were the Republican Party’s lone candidate for state senate, four of the party’s six candidates for U.S. representative, both Republican candidates for Osage County Presiding Commissioner, and most other Republican candidates seeking county office.

Master of ceremonies Paul Stratman welcomed attendees and introduced keynote speaker Susan Klein, executive director and chief lobbyist for Missouri Right to Life. Klein thanked veterans in attendance before encouraging support for Amendment 4 on the Aug. 4 ballot and Amendment 3 in November.

Klein said Amendment 4 would change the requirements for citizen-led constitutional amendments by requiring majority approval in each of Missouri’s eight congressional districts rather than a statewide simple majority. She argued that the measure would help prevent outside organizations from influencing Missouri’s Constitution through large financial contributions to initiative petition campaigns.

“The constitution ... is not meant to legislate from,” Klein said, arguing that constitutional amendments should primarily establish the framework of government rather than statutory policy.

She contrasted the number of amendments adopted to the Missouri Constitution with the U.S. Constitution, saying Missouri’s constitution has been amended far more frequently.

Klein also urged support for Amendment 3, which she said would overturn the abortion amendment approved by Missouri voters in 2024. She said Missouri Right to Life worked with legislators to develop ballot language they believed would receive voter support after reviewing polling conducted following the 2024 election.

According to Klein, the organization found stronger public support after revising the proposed language and adding provisions addressing gender transition procedures for minors. She said Missouri Right to Life expects significant spending by abortion-rights advocates during the campaign and encouraged supporters to remain active through the November election.

She also discussed what she described as changes resulting from the 2024 constitutional amendment, including the reopening of abortion clinics, the availability of abortion medication, and the loss of certain state regulations governing abortion providers.

Klein concluded by encouraging supporters to volunteer, display yard signs, and continue working on behalf of the campaign.

The evening’s second featured speaker was Lorie Winslow, executive director of the Osage County Anti-Drug Community Action Team (OC-ADCAT), who focused on the organization’s prevention, education, recovery, and youth outreach efforts.

Winslow said OC-ADCAT serves every public and parochial school in Osage County. She said the organization’s reach has grown during her five years as executive director.

“Our name includes Osage County, but the work that we do goes all through mid-Missouri,” Winslow said. “We’ve expanded quite a bit in my five years that I’ve been the director.”

She said the organization partners with schools, law enforcement, churches, health care providers, civic organizations, businesses, and local governments to deliver prevention, education, recovery, and advocacy programs.

She highlighted annual surveys of seventh-, ninth-, and 11th-grade students that the organization uses to identify community needs and evaluate its programs.

According to Winslow, alcohol use among students during the previous 30 days has declined from 38% when the surveys began to 24% today. She also reported declines in parents allowing underage drinking at home, student suicide plans, and suicide attempts while noting that vaping and marijuana remain continuing concerns.

Winslow said prevention efforts now place greater emphasis on mental health in addition to substance abuse education, citing limited access to health care and mental health providers in rural communities.

She described OC-ADCAT’s school-based prevention curriculum, peer leadership programs, vaping cessation classes, suicide prevention efforts, and the organization’s youth center in Linn, which opened earlier this year.

Since opening in January, Winslow said approximately 280 students have visited the youth center outside of larger community events. The center provides recreation, mentoring, educational activities, food, and a supervised environment where students are encouraged to develop positive relationships with adult mentors.

Winslow also discussed financial challenges facing the organization after approximately $100,000 in Missouri Department of Mental Health funding ended June 30. Despite the reduction, she said OC-ADCAT plans to maintain its school-based services while continuing to seek grants, donations, volunteers, and community partnerships.

State Sen. Ben Brown spoke next, focusing on election integrity, initiative petition reform, and taxation.

Brown highlighted legislation he sponsored to prohibit foreign money from influencing Missouri ballot measures and encouraged support for Amendment 4, which he said would place additional protections in the Missouri Constitution.

He also encouraged support for Amendment 5, arguing that gradually eliminating Missouri’s income tax would improve the state’s competitiveness with neighboring states and encourage population growth.

State Rep. Bruce Sassmann reflected on nearly six years in the Missouri House of Representatives and said his final term, allowed under legislative term limits, would be his most productive because of the relationships and experience he has developed in Jefferson City.

Sassmann described himself as “a meat-and-potatoes legislator” focused on practical issues rather than political attention. He cited conservation, education, workforce development, rural economic development, corrections, tourism, and small business among the areas in which he has served during his legislative career.

Western District Commissioner Dale Logan said the county’s Quick Care clinic is expected to open in mid-August after officials determined “it was something that was needed enough that we really felt like we could do that.” He encouraged residents to “please take advantage of that” once it opens.

Logan also urged continued public support for a southern interchange on the planned U.S. 63 Westphalia bypass, calling MoDOT’s decision not to include the interchange “extremely disappointing to all of us here in town.” He criticized spending “ $100 million to save the drive-throughs 30 seconds of drive time” and pledged, “We’re going to fight until the end, just that simple.”

Representing Missouri Promise, Ryan Stark encouraged support for Amendment 5, describing it as a constitutional mechanism to gradually eliminate Missouri’s income tax. Stark argued that shifting taxation toward consumption rather than income would make Missouri more competitive with states that do not levy an income tax.

Congressional candidates Brad Patty, Taylor Burks, Rick Brattin, and Micah Beebe each addressed the audience, introducing themselves and outlining the priorities they would pursue if elected to represent Missouri’s 5th Congressional District.

Patty, a retired U.S. Army combat mechanic, described himself as a political outsider, a foster care alumnus, a cancer survivor, and the husband of a public school teacher. He said his military service, business education, and family experiences prepared him to serve in Congress, emphasizing border security, fiscal accountability, support for agriculture, and veterans. Patty contrasted himself with career politicians, telling the audience Washington needed “a combat mechanic to fix it.”

Burks, who said he recently completed his fourth overseas deployment with the U.S. Navy, emphasized the importance of electing someone from mid-Missouri to represent the newly configured congressional district. He highlighted his service as Boone County Clerk, where he said he focused on election integrity and reducing government spending, while pledging to advocate for conservative policies, secure elections, and national security.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, who has served eight years in the Missouri House and six years in the Missouri Senate, described himself as “the tip of the spear” for conservative causes. He said “America matters” and warned that “we have a Democrat party that’s literally electing communists to want to destroy America.” Brattin criticized what he called “woke indoctrination” in schools, called illegal immigration an “invasion,” urged passage of the SAVE Act, highlighted his support for abortion restrictions, Second Amendment rights, and tax reform, and said voters should elect leaders willing to fight for conservative principles regardless of personal cost.

Micah Beebe, a commercial real estate broker from Kansas City, told attendees his experience growing up in Kansas City and raising a family there gave him a unique perspective on the district. Beebe said Republicans have an opportunity to unseat longtime Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, but argued the party would need a nominee capable of competing successfully in the Kansas City portion of the district. He highlighted his family’s adoption of three children through foster care and emphasized conservative values, including support for the Second Amendment, smaller government, and what he described as the nation’s Christian foundation.

John Grady, a Republican candidate for state representative, spoke about his military service in both the Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy Seabees, including deployments to Iraq and disaster response following Hurricane Katrina. Grady said conversations with voters while campaigning had convinced him that rising property taxes remain among the district’s biggest concerns. He proposed exempting owner-occupied homes from property taxes after the mortgage has been paid and called for greater scrutiny of state spending while expressing opposition to Amendment 5.

Associate Circuit Judge Sonya Brandt, who is seeking another term, thanked voters for the opportunity to serve Osage County and expressed appreciation for those who organized the dinner.

Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin, who is seeking a third term, said public service allows him to give back to the county where he and his family have built their lives. He thanked voters for their continued support and asked for their prayers and votes.

His opponent, John Glavin, said the county should invest more of its financial reserves in projects that directly benefit residents. Glavin identified reducing property taxes among his priorities and said he would work cooperatively with county officials and employees if elected.

Maryann Jacquin, candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court, said she has nearly 20 years of court experience, including approximately 11 years in Osage County and nine years in Cole County. She said that experience would allow her to continue serving the court system while working with Associate Circuit Judge Sonya Brandt and Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner.

Recorder of Deeds candidate Carrie Muenks told attendees she is a lifelong Osage County resident who has worked in the Recorder of Deeds office in neighboring Cole County for 12 years, including the past five years as chief deputy. She said that experience has prepared her to succeed retiring Recorder of Deeds Cindy Hoffman.

Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner, who has served since 2002, thanked those in attendance and expressed confidence in local voters. “I think you’re all plenty smart when you go to the ballot box and decide who those people are,” she said, adding, “We know each other, we live next to each other, we help each other. That’s why I love this place.”

Closing the evening, Jerry Voss thanked those who organized the dinner and introduced the Republican Central Committee candidates seeking township committee positions. Voss explained that, with most opposing candidates having withdrawn, only two committee races would appear on the ballot while the remaining candidates would assume office without opposition.

Following Voss’ remarks, Adrianne Mullen, Stratman’s niece and god-child, performed “America the Beautiful,” inviting veterans and audience members to join in singing as the evening concluded.