Education, roads, ag focuses for District 1 representative candidates

Oct. 13—With Election Day right around the corner, both candidates running to become Missouri's District 1 representative are finishing their last campaign efforts.

Republican Jeff Farnan and Democrat Jessica Piper are vying to represent the area that includes Atchison, Gentry, Holt and Nodaway counties in the state's northwest corner. The two face each other on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Farnan lives in Nodaway County where he works as a cattle farmer. He has been married for 33 years and has five sons. Farnan is also a business owner and involved with the Jefferson school board.

"I also own the Spec Shoppe in Maryville and in Stanberry and for the last 15 years I've been on the school board at Jefferson where I currently serve as president," Farnan said.

Piper is a Maryville resident. She is married with five kids and three grandkids. Piper worked in the education field as an English teacher for 16 years.

"I found my favorite job was teaching American lit to juniors in Maryville, Missouri," Piper said.

Farnan said he wanted to run based on the good representation District 1 has had in the past.

"I'd like to carry on in their footsteps," Farnan said. "I want to do this for our next generation of children. I want to make sure that they have the same rights and liberties that we currently have."

Piper said she became inspired to run after she went to vote in 2020 and there was no Democratic candidate on the ballot.

"It's been 30 years since we've elected a Democrat, and we have never elected a woman," Piper said. "We've defunded our schools. Our state is 50th in teacher pay, 49th in educational funding. Our highways are a mess. People cannot find childcare. All the while, we're passing an abortion ban and restrictions on women's health. So it just got to a point where I was just fed up and I feel like we really need to do something about this and I think it's time and I think people are ready."

Farnan said his diverse background makes him a good candidate for the representative seat.

"I have a farming background, a small business background and an education," Farnan said. "So I think that I can see things from a lot of different points of view."

Piper said she is a good candidate because she has no personal gain from running.

"I don't have a business that will benefit," Piper said. "I listen to constituents. I knock on doors constantly. I call folks constantly. I know what our schools need. I feel like I listen really well. As a mom and as a teacher, I'm used to taking in other people's opinions and trying to do the best for them and I would continue that."

Both candidates expressed many goals if elected as the representative for District 1.

"I would really like to be involved in education with some of the teacher pay," Farnan said. "I think the pay is low and I'd like to make sure that we can raise that. Farming and agriculture are always big. Anything on the farm would be a goal of mine."

Schools also are on Piper's agenda.

"The first thing is to fund schools to make sure that our teachers are paid well enough," Piper said. "Twenty-six percent of the schools in Missouri are on a four-day week so, I would definitely want to address that. I want to make sure that we have access to child care so that people can go to work because that's a major hurdle. Our roads are an absolute disaster in Northwest Missouri. Some are turning into gravel naturally which is a big problem. I want to make sure that my neighbors have access to health care and that our rural health care systems stay open and are healthy and available."

The campaign process has been a hectic experience, Farnan said.

"I've enjoyed it all," Farnan said. "I thought I would really not like going door to door but that's been one of the greatest things, just going out and meeting the people and interacting with them."

Piper said it's been a fun and long process on her campaign journey.

"I started two years ago because I knew how tough it would be to try to run as a Democrat," Piper said. "I know in Missouri actually having that 'D' behind your name is a burden. I also only accept small donations from real people. It's been really exciting and fun. I've met more people than I have in my entire life, and I understand that the people in the first district are good and warm and want what's best for their community and my message resonates with them."

Sara Rooney can be reached at sara.rooney@newspressnow.com.