Candidate letters

By Editor | October 22, 2026 |

Geoffrey Woehlk
Chris Stigall, Republican Candidate for Sixth District U.S. Representative

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, SIXTH DISTRICT

The Forum invited each of the three candidates running for U.S. Representative for the Sixth District to write a 500-word letter to Nodaway County voters about why they are the right choice to send to Congress. Democrat Josh Smead and Libertarian Andy Maidment did not respond. Republican Chris Stigall submitted a letter that appears below without alteration.

Chris Stigall

Dear Maryville Forum readers,

I am running for Congress because I believe North Missouri deserves a representative who knows our communities, shares our values, and will make sure our voices are heard in Washington.

For me, that commitment is personal. I grew up in Richmond and live in Holt with my wife, Christine, but Maryville holds a special place in my life. As a student at Northwest Missouri State University, it was here that I first sat behind a microphone to host my own show. That experience helped me find my voice and set the course for my career. It taught me to listen, ask questions, and speak up about issues that matter. I am grateful to the university and community that gave me that start. I want the next generation to find the same opportunity in North Missouri that I found in Maryville.

That future depends on whether families can afford their bills, businesses can grow, and farmers can keep farming. Groceries, utilities, housing, and fuel take too much out of household budgets. Washington can help ease those pressures by stopping reckless spending, cutting unnecessary regulations, and unleashing American energy so families and small businesses can keep more of what they earn.

Those same principles matter to the farmers and ranchers who form the backbone of our region. Decisions made in Washington have real consequences at the farm gate, and agriculture needs a strong voice in Congress. I will seek a seat on the House Agriculture Committee and fight to protect family farms, expand markets, defend private property rights, and keep government bureaucracy from standing in the way of the people who feed and fuel our country.

When agriculture thrives, our communities benefit. But keeping North Missouri strong also requires access to health care, reliable infrastructure, good schools, and a business climate that encourages investment. I will stay connected to local leaders, employers, educators, and health care providers so their experience helps guide my work in Washington.

For years, I have used my microphone as a conservative broadcaster to hold government accountable and give voice to hardworking Americans. I will bring that same directness and accessibility to Congress, guided by my strong faith and the belief that our rights come from our Creator. I will defend the Second Amendment, protect innocent life, support law enforcement, secure our border, and uphold the Constitution.

Those convictions also include a belief that government must answer to the people. That starts with an office that responds when you need help. Whether a veteran is seeking benefits or a senior is navigating Social Security, my staff and I will treat constituents with respect, respond promptly, and work diligently on their behalf.

Representing North Missouri means both fighting for our priorities in Washington and being available to the people back home. I am ready to do both, and I respectfully ask for your vote on November 3. It would be an honor to serve you.

Chris Stigall

Republican candidate for Congress, Missouri’s Sixth District

MISSOURI STATE AUDITOR

Three candidates are running for Missouri State Auditor: Libertarian Dustin Coffell, Republican Scott Fitzpatrick (incumbent) and Democrat Quentin Wilson. Only Coffell responded to an invitation from the Forum to write a 500-word letter to Nodaway County voters about why he is the right choice for auditor. His letter appears below without alteration.

Dustin Coffell

As Missouri voters prepare to head to the polls, the choice for State Auditor comes down to a single fundamental question: do you want politicians checking their own party’s homework, or do you want an accountant, an regular citizen, who answers only to taxpayers?

Missouri faces significant fiscal challenges in the coming years. With federal funds drying up and our cash reserves waning, our state government cannot afford for business to be done as it has for the last half-decade. In times of financial stress, politicians generally have the same playbook, regardless of party: hide deficit spending behind gimmicks or use the stress to push a partisan agenda.

Missouri’s taxpayers deserve better.

Unlike my opponents, I am beholden to neither of the two old parties that have gotten us into this mess through mismanagement. I have nearly a decade in corporate accounting and another decade prior to that in the highly-controlled Missouri casino industry. My career has been built on data and objectivity, and I intend to bring that same mentality to Jefferson City if I’m elected.

The State Auditor is the public’s independent watchdog. It is the only executive office in the state government specifically designed to serve as a check on government spending and administrative waste.

My platform rests on three pillars:

1. Unbought and unbiased. I am neither a Democrat or a Republican. I am a Libertarian. My allegiance isn’t to party bosses or corporate donors. In fact, I have taken no donations during any of my campaigns, including this one. If elected, I will resign all offices and authority within my party. My only boss will be you, the taxpayer.

2. An accountant, not a politician. I bring technical expertise, not a political agenda.

3. True fiscal oversight. I will conduct targeted audits to eliminate administrative waste, ensure fiscal notes on ballot measures are fully nonpartisan, and expose gimmick accounting wherever it can be found.

When you look at your home’s budget, you stick to the numbers. That same standard should follow with our state’s legislature and executive leaders.

I do not expect your vote based on simple party affiliation. This election, I humbly ask for your vote.

Vote Different. Vote Better.

Sincerely,

Dustin Coffell

Libertarian Candidate for Missouri State Auditor