Statewide filing for the August 2022 Primary opened Feb. 22 as all 163 House District seats will be up for election in a redistricting year.

Several of those state representatives will have new numeric designations for redrawn districts including Bruce Sassmann, R-Bland, who currently holds the 62nd District seat. Sassmann was the lone candidate to file his notice of candidacy last Tuesday for the newly configured 61st District which now includes a significant portion of Montgomery County along with all of Gasconade and Osage counties. 

The current 61st, unoccupied since the vacancy created by Aaron Griesheimer’s resignation in January 2022, includes northern portions of Gasconade and Osage and a portion of northern Franklin County. The communities of Rhineland,McKittrick, Big Spring, New Florence, Montgomery City and Wellsville are included in the new 61st. The St. Elizabeth area in southern Cole County is also part of the new 61st District. Gone from that district are communities in Franklin County.

“I am excited that Osage and Gasconade counties will be whole again and represented by just one legislator,” said Rep. Bruce Sassmann, who has filed for candidacy in the new 61st District. “But there are some gems in the district. I have met some great people along the way and we will continue to make the district better.”

He will, however, no longer be representing Maries County residents, and he shared his thoughts.

“Even though I am disappointed I am not the representative for Maries County, it will always be a part of me and I will continue to do what I can to help Maries County and the Belle community,” said Sassmann.

The new 61st District will only include the northern, Osage County portion of Belle.

“I have always associated my life with Maries County,” said Sassmann.

Maries County voters will be selecting their representative for the 143rd District which comprises communities south of there including Doolittle and Newburg in Phelps County, and the Texas County towns of Edgar Springs, Licking, Houston, Raymondsville, Sommerville and Cabool.

As of the opening of filing, three Republicans have signed up seeking the 143rd District’s term. Those including, in random numeric draw for ballot placement, Rhilip Lohmann, Rolla, Bennie Cook, Houston, and Christopher Davis, Rolla. Cook is currently the state representative for the 142nd District.

(With reporting by Dave Marner and Roxie Murphy)