Barbara Phifer is a former United Methodist pastor who started her term as a Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives, representing the state's 90th House district, in January 2021.[1] She is a candidate in the 2024 Missouri Secretary of State election.
Career
Phifer is a graduate of Cornell College and St. Paul School of Theology,[2] and served as a United Methodist pastor for over 40 years.[3] Her preaching career included a five-year stint in Montevideo, Uruguay under a dictatorship, an experience which she said gave her "an understanding of the dangers of authoritarianism, which is what I see in the [Republican] party right now".[2] Along with her criticism of Donald Trump, Phifer ran on a platform of expanding Medicaid, improving public education, and supporting gun control and social justice issues such as women's and LGBTQ rights.[2][4]
Phifer had not thought about entering politics until after retiring from preaching, but decided to run for the seat vacated by Deb Lavender who was running for state Senate.[2] In 2020, Phifer defeated her Republican opponent in the general election for Missouri's 90th state House district.[5][6]
In March 2024, Phifer announced her candidacy for Missouri Secretary of State in front of the Jefferson City Missouri River Regional Library. She criticized book banning efforts in Missouri and expressed a commitment to neutral ballot language.[7]
Electoral history
- Rep. Phifer has not yet had any opponents in the Democratic Primary election, winning the party nomination by default each time.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Barbara Phifer | 13,858 | 56.72% | -43.28 | |
| Republican | Anne Landers | 10,575 | 43.28% | +43.28 | |
| Total votes | 24,433 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Barbara Phifer | 11,355 | 62.56% | +5.84 | |
| Republican | Gary Albert Bokermann, Jr. | 6,795 | 37.44% | -5.84 | |
| Total votes | 18,150 | 100.00% | |||
Personal life
Phifer lives in Kirkwood, Missouri with her husband, and has five children and seven grandchildren.[2][3][10]
References
- ^ Schallhorn, Kaitlyn (April 26, 2021). "Freshmen to Watch: Barbara Phifer". Missouri Times. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Lingo, Emma. "Meet the candidate: Barbara Phifer". The Kirkwood Call. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Representative Barbara Phifer District 090". house.mo.gov. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Barbara Phifer On the Issues". UpBallot. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Barbara Phifer". ballotpedia. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ Rosenbaum, Jason. "Rep. Barbara Phifer Provides First Impressions Of Missouri House". St Louis Public Radio. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ Suntrup, Jack (2024-03-12). "Kirkwood Democrat blasts 'book banning' in kickoff for secretary of state campaign". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
- ^ "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ "Representative Barbara Phifer, District 90". molegdems. Retrieved 31 July 2021.