Joe Plemons for Mo House of Representatives

08/05/2026

Tonight I called Representative Phelps to congratulate him and wish him the very best during his upcoming term. The people have spoken, and I respect that.

To everyone who took the time to vote today, thank you. And to those who placed your trust in me by casting your vote in my name, I cannot adequately express how much that means to me.

It’s been a long road, and I’m proud of the campaign we built together. We did it differently. I accepted no funding, no special backing, and spent virtually no money. I don’t owe favors to donors, political organizations, or special interests. The only people I ever owed anything to were the citizens who believed in me enough to cast their vote.

This campaign was built the old-fashioned way through conversations, word of mouth, friends, family, neighbors, and people who believed that an ordinary citizen could step forward and serve. That’s exactly how I wanted to do it.

I have no regrets. I ran this race with integrity, stayed true to my principles, and never compromised who I am. While tonight wasn’t the outcome we hoped for, my love for this country, this community, and the people of District 54 hasn’t changed one bit.

Thank you for believing in me. It has truly been an honor.

08/03/2026

The older I get, the more I realize that birthdays aren’t really about the number. They’re about the people.

Today, I was overwhelmed by the number of calls, texts, messages, and birthday wishes. I wish I could thank each of you individually because every message reminded me how blessed I am to have so many good people in my life. Your kindness means more than I can put into words.

If you’ve taken a moment out of your day to wish me a happy birthday, I’m going to ask you for one more favor.

Tomorrow is Election Day.

No matter how busy life gets, please make time to vote. So many men and women have sacrificed to protect that right, and too many people let it slip by without using it. Your vote is your voice, and local elections often have the greatest impact on our families, our communities, and our future.

If you believe in the values I’ve been talking about throughout this campaign—service, accountability, hard work, and standing up for the people of District 54—I would be honored to earn your vote.

I’m on the ballot Tuesday, and I would be grateful for your support.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this birthday one I’ll never forget. God bless each of you, and God bless Missouri.

07/28/2026

We are at a crossroads. Too many hardworking Missourians feel forgotten. They are working harder, paying more, and wondering why the system seems to reward dependence instead of responsibility.

I believe we can do better.

We can protect those who truly need help while creating a path back to work and independence for those who are able. We can support our farmers, our small businesses, our families, and the people who get up every day and carry the weight of this state on their shoulders.

I’m running because I don’t believe government should be controlled by career politicians or special interests. It should be guided by people who have lived, worked, and served alongside the communities they represent.

I’m not asking for your vote because I think I’m better than anyone else. I’m asking because I believe our community deserves someone willing to stand up, speak the truth, and fight for a better Missouri.

That’s why I’m running for State Representative.

07/05/2026

Today, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we honor far more than a date on a calendar. We honor the courage of ordinary men who chose an extraordinary path. They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish a nation where liberty would belong to the people, not to a king, not to a ruling class, but to every American.

For 250 years, generations have defended that promise. On battlefields around the world, in our factories, on our farms, in our schools, churches, homes, and communities, Americans have continued the work of preserving the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever known.

Freedom has never been guaranteed. Every generation is called to protect it, strengthen it, and pass it on to those who follow. That responsibility now belongs to us.

As we gather with our families and friends this Independence Day, let us remember that the blessings we enjoy were purchased through sacrifice, sustained by faith, and preserved by the unwavering belief that this nation is worth fighting for.

May God continue to bless our communities, our great State of Missouri, and the United States of America.

Happy Independence Day, and happy 250th birthday, America.

Joe Plemons
Republican Candidate for Missouri House of Representatives, District 54

07/04/2026

A safety net was never meant to become a way of life.

If you’re facing hard times and truly need help, I’ll always support a hand up. But if you’re able to work and have chosen to live on the backs of hardworking taxpayers, that needs to end.

We’ve created a system that, in too many cases, rewards dependency instead of hard work. When people are financially better off staying on government assistance than taking a job or accepting a raise, the system isn’t helping people succeed, it’s trapping them.

Hardworking Missourians shouldn’t be forced to carry the burden for those who choose dependency over personal responsibility. Government should reward work, encourage self-sufficiency, and aggressively eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse, not create incentives to remain dependent.

I’m Joe Plemons, and I’m running for Missouri State Representative because I believe government should empower people to succeed, not encourage them to depend on it.

07/01/2026

The recent court decisions regarding President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship have made one thing clear: if we want lasting change, Congress and the states must pursue a constitutional amendment.

I believe the intent of the 14th Amendment was to guarantee citizenship to those who were truly subject to the full jurisdiction and allegiance of the United States. It was never designed to encourage illegal immigration or to create an incentive for people to come here temporarily for the purpose of securing U.S. citizenship for their children.

As your State Representative, I will support every effort within my authority to encourage our congressional delegation to pursue a constitutional amendment that clarifies birthright citizenship. Citizenship should not automatically be granted solely because a child is born on U.S. soil when the parents are here illegally or are only present temporarily, such as on tourist or temporary visas.

America is a nation of laws. Our immigration system should reward those who respect our laws and follow the legal process, not create incentives to bypass it. If the American people want to change the Constitution, there is a constitutional process for doing so, and that process, not executive orders alone, is how lasting change should be achieved.

My position is straightforward: I support legal immigration, I support secure borders, and I support amending the Constitution so that automatic birthright citizenship reflects the realities of lawful citizenship and allegiance to the United States.

06/28/2026

Now I’m asking a simple question…

Why do we keep electing people because of their last name, their family connections, their money, or their popularity instead of their ability to lead?

Would you hire someone to run your business because of who their father was?

Would you trust someone with your family’s future because they knew the right people?

Of course not.

Yet that’s exactly how we’ve allowed politics to work for far too long.

We say we want change, but election after election we reward the same political class. We choose influence over experience. We choose connections over competence. Then we wonder why nothing changes.

Maybe it’s time we stop voting for personalities and start voting for people who have actually lived the struggles of everyday Missourians.

I’ve worked long nights. I’ve missed holidays with my family. I’ve responded to emergencies when others were running away. I’ve seen families at their best and their worst. I’ve balanced budgets, led teams, solved problems under pressure, and made decisions where lives depended on getting it right.

That experience can’t be inherited.

It can’t be bought.

It has to be earned.

I’m not asking for your vote because I’m the loudest voice or because I have the most money. I’m asking for your vote because I understand what it means to serve, to work, and to fight for the people I’m sworn to represent.

If we want different results in Jefferson City, we have to stop electing the same type of politicians.

Let’s choose common sense over connections.

Let’s choose service over status.

Let’s choose experience over influence.

Let’s choose Missouri first.

06/28/2026

We live in strange times.
Nothing feels normal anymore. The things we once trusted are questioned. The institutions we were told would serve us seem more interested in serving themselves. Every election cycle, we’re handed another slogan, another promise, another politician asking for our support while offering very little of themselves in return.
Maybe that’s how politics works.
Maybe that’s how people get elected.
But I’ve never been very good at playing that game.
For more than twenty years, I’ve worked as a paramedic. I’ve spent my career walking into people’s homes on some of the best days of their lives and some of the worst. I’ve sat at kitchen tables. I’ve stood in living rooms. I’ve listened to people who were scared, exhausted, overwhelmed, and simply trying to hold everything together.
And what I’ve learned is this:
Most people are not looking for a handout.
Most people are not looking for someone to save them.
Most people simply want a fair chance to build a good life through hard work, personal responsibility, and the dignity that comes from providing for their families.
They get up before sunrise.
They work long hours.
They pay their bills.
They worry about groceries, fuel, housing, and whether there will be enough left at the end of the month.
They do everything they’re supposed to do, and yet every year it feels like they’re falling a little further behind.
Those people don’t need another politician talking down to them.
They need someone willing to listen.
I wasn’t born into a political family.
Nobody handed me influence.
Nobody opened doors for me.
Like many of you, I graduated from the school of hard knocks. I learned that if something needed done, you rolled up your sleeves and did it. You kept your word. You showed up when it mattered. And you never forgot where you came from.
That’s why I’m running.
Not because I’m looking for a title.
Not because I’m looking for a paycheck.
And not because I’m looking for donors.
The truth is simple:
I don’t want your money.
I want your trust.
Because once a politician becomes dependent on people with the biggest checkbooks, it’s easy to forget the people who don’t have one.
I would rather earn one vote from a hardworking family than receive a thousand dollars from someone expecting something in return.
I want to represent the people who built this community. The people who coach little league, work overtime, volunteer at church, help their neighbors, and keep this county moving forward without asking for recognition.
The truth is, this town doesn’t belong to a handful of influential names.
It belongs to the people.
And if you give me the opportunity to serve as your State Representative for Missouri’s 54th District, I will never forget who sent me there.
I won’t answer to donors.
I won’t answer to political machines.
I’ll answer to you.

06/16/2026

Tonight was one of my first candidate forums, and I’ll be honest, I walked away feeling like there was more I wanted to say. Being new to this process, my own worst critic immediately started pointing out everything I could have done better.

But after reflecting on the evening, I’m choosing to see it as a win.

I had the opportunity to meet a lot of good people, listen to their concerns, share my vision for District 54, and gain valuable insight into how I can improve moving forward. Every experience is a chance to learn, and tonight gave me plenty to build on.

06/16/2026

I was so saddened about hearing about the passing of our Western commissioner Charlie Kavanaugh. I can tell you I met him a couple of times and he absolutely loved this county. He had integrity and loved what he did for the residents of Johnson County. He served well and will be remembered for his leadership courage and dedication. He lived a life of service and should be honored to say job well done. We’ll take it from here.

Charlie Chuck Marion Kavanaugh passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, June 13, 2026, to join his Heavenly Father. Charlie never knew a stranger, and for those that knew him, he always expressed his sense of humor. Charlie worked as the Western District County Commissioner for Johnson County, Missouri...