Sam Graves MO-06

Sam Graves

Summary

Current Position: US Representative of MO District 6 since 2001
Affiliation: Republican
District:  northern Missouri, stretching across nearly the entire width of the state from Kansas to Illinois. Its largest voting population is centered in the northern portion of the Kansas City metropolitan area and the town of St. Joseph.  
Upcoming Election:

Graves is a general aviation pilot. He owns a Piper PA-11 Cub Special, is restoring a Beech AT-10, and co-owns a North American T-6 Texan and a Vultee BT-13 Valiant. Gould Peterson Municipal Airport is named after his uncle, an aviator, and is on his family’s farm. Graves is a Baptist.

Graves was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1992.[7] After one term, he was elected to the Missouri Senate in 1994 and reelected in 1998.

Source: Wikipedia

OnAir Post: Sam Graves MO-06

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About

Congressman Sam Graves is a lifelong resident of Missouri’s Sixth Congressional District. As a small businessman and a sixth-generation family farmer, Sam has spent his life working to make Missouri a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

In Congress, Sam serves as the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. As Chairman, Sam leads the Committee as it has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation – our aviation system, highways and bridges, transit and rail transportation, pipelines, and maritime and waterborne transportation. Sam’s role in transportation is critical as he works on behalf of Missouri’s 34,000 highway miles and 10,400 bridges in need of maintenance and repair as well as the 6th Congressional District’s two major rivers – the Missouri and the Mississippi.

Sam is also a member of the House Committee on Armed Services. Missouri has a $15 billion military footprint and plays a critical role in ensuring our troops have the resources they need. Sam remains determined to protect Missouri’s various military installations and all of the brave men and women who serve in uniform.

Sam Graves 1Congressman Graves was born in Tarkio, Missouri on November 7, 1963. He graduated from Tarkio High School in 1982 and attended college at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he received his degree in Agronomy from the School of Agriculture.

In 1992, Sam won his first race for State Representative. In 1994, he was elected State Senator for the 12th Senatorial District and was subsequently re-elected in 1998.

Sam’s leadership has been recognized by organizations like the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Farm Bureau, the Missouri Hospital Association and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. As a father, grandfather, farmer, businessman, and former State legislator, Sam knows the values, hopes, and beliefs of the hard-working people of the Sixth District, and continues to work tirelessly for Missouri families in the United States House of Representatives.

Personal

Full Name: Samuel ‘Sam’ B. Graves

Gender: Male

Family: 3 Children: Megan, Trey, Emily

Birth Date: 11/07/1963

Birth Place: Tarkio, MO

Home City: Tarkio, MO

Religion: Baptist

Source: Vote Smart

Education

BS, Agronomy, School of Agriculture, University of Missouri at Columbia, 1986

Political Experience

Representative, United States House of Representatives, Missouri, District 6, 2001-present

Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Missouri, District 6, 2022

Senator, Missouri State Senate, 1994-2000

Representative, Missouri State House of Representatives, 1992-1994

Professional Experience

Owner/Operator, Graves Family Farms, 1986-present

Airline Transport Pilot, Graves Aviation

Offices

WASHINGTON DC OFFICE
1135 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC  20515Phone: (202) 225-7041
Fax: (202) 225-8221

HANNIBAL DISTRICT OFFICE
6079 Co Rd 425
PO Box 364
Hannibal, MO  63401Phone: (573) 221-3400

KANSAS CITY DISTRICT OFFICE
12200 North Ambassador Dr
Suite 234
Kansas City, MO  64163Phone: (816) 792-3976
Fax: (816) 792-0694

ST. JOSEPH DISTRICT OFFICE
411 Jules Street
Room 111
St. Joseph, MO  64501Phone: (816) 749-0800
Fax: (816) 749-0801

TROY DISTRICT OFFICE
201 Main St, Rm 50
Troy, MO  63379Phone: (636) 622-7106

Contact

Email: Government Page

Web Links

More Information

Wikipedia

Source: Government page

Wikipedia

Source: Wikipedia

Missouri’s 6th congressional district takes in a large swath of land in northern Missouri, stretching across nearly the entire width of the state from Kansas to Illinois. Its largest voting population is centered in the northern portion of the Kansas City metropolitan area and the town of St. Joseph. The district includes much of Kansas City north of the Missouri River (including Kansas City International Airport).

Rep. Graves (left) with George W. Bush at the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri. March, 2007.
The district takes in all or parts of the following counties: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, De Kalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Jackson, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Marion, Mercer, Monroe, Nodaway, Pike, Platte, Putnam, Ralls, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Worth.

Notable representatives from the district include governors John Smith Phelps and Austin A. King as well as Kansas City Mayor Robert T. Van Horn. In 1976, Jerry Litton was killed on election night as he flew to a victory party after winning the Democratic nomination for United States Senate. The visitors center at Smithville Lake is named in Litton’s memory. Democrat Pat Danner, a former aide to Jerry Litton, won the seat in 1992 becoming the first woman to be elected in the district defeating a 16-year Republican incumbent.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Samuel Bruce Graves Jr. (born November 7, 1963) is an American politician who is currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for Missouri's 6th congressional district, with him being the dean of Missouri's congressional delegation upon the retirement of Senator Roy Blunt in 2023, and having held office since 2001. The aforementioned district stretches across most of the northern third of the state, with it including territory from the Kansas border to the Illinois border. The bulk of its population lives in the northern part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Graves is a member of the Republican Party. He has notably served as the Chair in charge of the influential Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the U.S. House for multiple years, with him being able to exceed the system of American term limits normally enforced by the Republican leadership.[1]

The Center for Effective Lawmaking, at Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia, ranked him as the most effective House Republican in the 118th Congress (2023–25).[2]

On March 27, 2026, Graves announced he would not seek re-election in 2026.[3]

Early life

Graves was born on November 7, 1963, in Tarkio, Missouri.[4] He is the son of Janice A. (née Hord) and Samuel Bruce Graves, and the brother of attorney Todd Graves.[5] He graduated from the University of Missouri College of Agriculture with a degree in agronomy.[4] He is a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity.[6]

Missouri legislature

Graves was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1992.[7] After one term, he was elected to the Missouri Senate in 1994 and reelected in 1998.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Political positions

Environmental policy

In 2025 and 2026, Graves proposed an annual tax on electric and hybrid vehicles.[8]

Financial bailouts

After the September 2008 economic crisis, Graves voted against the proposed bailout of United States financial system, claiming it "neither 'punished the wrongdoers nor adequately protected the innocent taxpayers, investors and retirees' caught in the Wall Street banking crisis."[9] In January 2014, Graves introduced the TRICARE Family Improvement Act. The bill would allow dependents of military members to stay on their parents' TRICARE health plan after turning age 26. The bill would change current law, which requires those dependents to change to a separate health plan after turning 26.[10] The American Conservative Union gave him an 85% evaluation in 2017. As of 2019, Graves has a 4% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters.[11]

Boeing 737 MAX crashes

Graves blamed on May 13, 2019, at the House Aviation subcommittee hearing, the 737 MAX crashes (Lion Air Flight 610) on October 29, 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302) on poor training of the Indonesian and Ethiopian pilots. He stated also that "pilots trained in the U.S. would have been successful" in handling the emergencies on both jets.[12][13] One month earlier the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued the Boeing 737 MAX groundings.

Israel-Palestine

Graves voted to support Israel following the October 7 attacks.[14][15]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Ethics investigation

In 2009, the House Ethics Committee began an inquiry into whether Graves used his position on the Small Business Committee to invite Brooks Hurst, a longtime friend and a business partner of his wife, to testify at a committee hearing on the federal regulation of biodiesel and ethanol production. Graves had failed to mention the financial link between his wife and Hurst at the hearing, which dealt with federal subsidies for renewable fuels. A review by the independent Office of Congressional Ethics found "substantial reason to believe that an appearance of conflict of interest was created."[19] Graves said in a statement, "I look forward to a quick review of the facts and answering any questions that the committee may have. I believe that a speedy review will show that all the rules of the House concerning testimony in front of the Small Business Committee were followed."[20] The Office of Congressional Ethics referred the case to the House Ethics committee, which ended its own investigation in October, and released a report finding no ethical violations, as it asserted there was no standard in place for appearances like Hurst's.[21][22]

Retirement

On March 27, 2026 Graves said he would retire in January 2027.[23]

Political campaigns

Before his congressional career, Graves served eight years in the Missouri General Assembly, winning election to the Missouri House of Representatives once, and to the Missouri Senate twice.

Graves on the left with President George W. Bush at the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri on March 20, 2007
Graves greeting President Barack Obama in the Blue Room of the White House on May 2, 2011
Graves with President Donald Trump at the signing of the FAA bill on October 5, 2018
Graves and a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meet with President Joe Biden on March 4, 2021

In 2000, Democratic U.S. Representative Pat Danner suddenly retired due to breast cancer. Graves filed within the short period of time left for filing. He faced Danner's son, Steve Danner, a former state senator, in the general election. Graves called Danner as a "tax and spend liberal" and won the race with 51% of the vote.[24]

1992

1992 Election for Missouri House of Representatives 4th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 7,837 56.48%
DemocraticEverett W. Brown6,03843.52%
Total votes13,875 100%

1994

1994 Election for Missouri Senate 12th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 35,221 60.61%
DemocraticDoug R. Hughes22,88839.31%
Total votes58,109 100%

1998

1998 Election for Missouri Senate 12th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 31,883 62.69%
DemocraticBeth M. Wheeler18,97437.31%
Total votes50,857 100%

2000

2000 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 30,014 68.05
RepublicanTeresa Anne Loar7,49316.99
RepublicanJeff Bailey4,57510.37
RepublicanJohn Dady1,1222.54
RepublicanJack C. DeSalms9012.04
Total votes44,105 100
General election
RepublicanSam Graves 138,925 50.85
DemocraticSteve Danner127,79246.78
LibertarianJimmy Dykes3,6961.35
Natural LawMarie Richey2,7881.02
Total votes273,201 100

2002

2002 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 131,151 63.03
DemocraticCathy Rinehart73,20235.18
LibertarianErik Buck3,7351.79
Total votes208,088 100

2004

Graves during the
108th Congress
2004 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 196,516 63.83
DemocraticCharles S. Broomfield106,98734.75
LibertarianErik Buck4,3521.41
Total votes307,855 100

2006

2006 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 150,882 61.64
DemocraticSara Jo Shettles87,47735.73
LibertarianErik Buck4,7571.94
Progressive PartyShirley A. Yurkonis1,6790.69
Total votes244,795 100

2008

In 2008, Graves' Democratic challenger was former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes. She was the first reasonably well-financed Democrat to run in the district since Graves' initial run. Graves gained national attention early in the race for running an ad accusing Barnes of promoting "San Francisco values". Despite Barnes' roots in the district (she grew up in St. Joseph and lived in the district's share of Kansas City), Graves was reelected handily, with 59% of the vote to Barnes's 37%.

2008 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 196,526 59.43
DemocraticKay Barnes121,89436.86
LibertarianDave Browning12,2793.71
Total votes330,699 100

2010

2010 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 54,566 82.46%
RepublicanChristopher Ryan11,60817.53%
Total votes66,174 100
General election
RepublicanSam Graves 154,103 69.44
DemocraticClint Hylton67,76230.54
Write-InKyle Yarber470.02
Total votes221,912 100

2012

2012 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 59,388 80.33%
RepublicanChristopher Ryan9,94513.45%
RepublicanBob Gough4,5986.22%
Total votes73,931 100
General election
RepublicanSam Graves 216,906 65.00
DemocraticKyle Yarber108,50332.52
LibertarianRuss Monchil8,2792.48
Total votes333,688 100

2014

2014 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 124,616 66.65
DemocraticBill Hedge55,15729.50
LibertarianRuss Monchil7,1973.85

2016

2016 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 238,388 68.0
DemocraticDavid Blackwell98,58828.4
LibertarianRuss Monchil8,1232.3
GreenMike Diel4,2411.2

2018

2018 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 199,796 65.4
DemocraticHenry Martin97,66032.0
LibertarianDan Hogan7,9532.6

2020

2020 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 258,709 67.1
DemocraticGena Ross118,92630.8
LibertarianJim Higgins8,1442.1

2022

2022 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 6th Congressional District
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves 184,865 70.3
DemocraticHenry Martin72,25327.5
LibertarianEdward A (Andy) Maidment5,7742.2

2024

2024 Election for U.S. Representative for Missouri's 6th congressional district
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSam Graves (incumbent) 265,210 70.7
DemocraticPam May100,99926.9
LibertarianAndy Maidment5,9191.6
GreenMike Diel3,0580.8
Total votes375,186 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

Graves is a general aviation pilot. He owns a Piper PA-11 Cub Special, is restoring a Beech AT-10, and co-owns a North American T-6 Texan and a Vultee BT-13 Valiant. Gould Peterson Municipal Airport is named after his uncle, an aviator, and is on his family's farm.[25][26][27] Graves is a Baptist.[28]

References

  1. ↑ Brufke, Juliegrace (December 3, 2024). "House GOP gives surprise waiver to Sam Graves". Axios.com. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  2. ↑ Volden, Craig (March 24, 2025). "Highlights from the New 118th Congress Legislative Effectiveness Scores" (PDF). Center for Effective Lawmaking. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Powerful Missouri Republican Sam Graves to retire, sparking race for Northland seat". The Kansas City Star. March 27, 2026. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "Meet Sam". Congressman Sam Graves. December 3, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Kit Bond apologizes for staff's role in firing of federal prosecutor". The News Leader. September 30, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2007.[dead link]
  6. ↑ "Greek Political Leaders | North-American Interfraternity Conference". nicindy.org. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Our Campaigns - MO State House 004 Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  8. ↑ Gitlin, Jonathan M. (March 23, 2026). "Republicans in Congress add $250 annual federal EV tax to transport bill". Ars Technica. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Graves, Boyda vote against $700B bailout in the U.S. House". The News-Press. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
  10. ↑ "Graves proposes changes to military family health coverage" Archived March 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Ripon Advance. 1/31/14. Retrieved 2/7/14.
  11. ↑ "Check out Representative Sam Graves's Environmental Voting Record". February 17, 2021.
  12. ↑ "How much was pilot error a factor in the Boeing 737 MAX crashes?". The Seattle Times. May 15, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Blaming Dead Pilots Brought to You by Boeing". Corporate Crime Reporter. May 22, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  14. ↑ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  15. ↑ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ "Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute".
  17. ↑ "Congressional Taiwan Caucus". Congressman Brad Sherman. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Our Mission". U.S.-China Working Group. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  19. ↑ [dead link]
  20. ↑ Margasak, Larry (September 16, 2009). "Ethics panel defers probe on Jesse Jackson Jr". Associated Press. Retrieved September 16, 2009.[dead link]
  21. ↑ Larry Margasak Congressional ethics report leaked, reveals names LARRY MARGASAK, October 30, 2009 Associated Press
  22. ↑ "Campaign Legal Center blog: Fault Ethics Committee, Not OCE". Clcblog.org. November 20, 2009. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  23. ↑ Jimison, Robert (March 27, 2026). "Another Senior House Republican Will Retire as Midterm Exodus Grows". nytimes.com. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Missouri Secretary of State". Sos.mo.gov. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  25. ↑ "AOPA Q&A with US Rep. Sam Graves". aopa.org. March 6, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  26. ↑ Matthew Murray (November 6, 2007). "Federal Cash Rebuilds Airstrip Near Graves' Land - Roll Call". Roll Call. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  27. ↑ Shiner, Linda (March 2014). "Aviation's Man in Washington". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress" (PDF). PEW Research Center. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Graves
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