Nathan Willett Jumps in Graves Race, GOP Endorses

0:00It's April 1st. This is Kansas News today, your AI-powered local news. Long time Republican Congressman Sam Graves is retiring after 25 years and 13 terms representing Missouri's Northland District, including Kansas City suburbs. That news has already kicked off a rush for the open seat, with Platt County Republican Nathan Willett jumping in first by filing his candidacy on Monday. Willett, a math teacher who served on the Kansas City Council since 2023, has been building his name lately. He called out all gender bathrooms at Kansas City International Airport after an employee got busted recording women there. Last week, he even pushed an amendment to boost funding for city police during a budget talk. Local GOP leaders are hyped about him. Platt County Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker and Prosecutor Eric Zand endorsed Willett in a joint statement, saying it's time for the next. Generation of conservatives to step up and unite North Missouri voters. Meanwhile, other big political moves are stirring things up.

1:02Advocates are sounding alarms over a revived Missouri bill that could send foster kids back to unlicensed Christian boarding schools after years of. Fights to shut them down. In Kansas, a narrow win lets a small group of voters rework local budgets for property tax relief, while a bill to end in state tuition for. Some documented immigrants heads to the governor. Plus, a court just greenlit Missouri's new, gerrymandered congressional map for the 2026 elections. Expect more Republicans to pile into the graves race soon, shaking up the primary and keeping eyes on these Midwest battles as they heat up.