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 was the Democratic candidate in the 2024 Missouri Secretary of State election.
Early life and education
Born in Washington, D.C., Phifer is a graduate of Cornell College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and history in 1977. She then attended St. Paul School of Theology at Oklahoma City University, where she received a master's degree in theology in 1980.[2][3]
Career
Phfier has served as a United Methodist pastor for over 40 years.[4] 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][5]
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.[6][7]
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.[8] She lost the race to Denny Hoskins.[9]
Personal life
Phifer lives in Kirkwood, Missouri with her husband Thomas, and has five children and seven grandchildren.[2][4][10][3]
Electoral history
Phifer had no opponents in the Democratic primary elections for the Missouri House of Representatives, 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% | |||
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 30–40%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Barbara Phifer | 146,284 | 40.86 | |
| Democratic | Monique Williams | 123,270 | 34.43 | |
| Democratic | Haley Jacobsen | 88,491 | 24.72 | |
| Total votes | 358,045 | 100.00 | ||
References
- ^ Schallhorn, Kaitlyn (April 26, 2021). "Freshmen to Watch: Barbara Phifer". Missouri Times. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Lingo, Emma. "Meet the candidate: Barbara Phifer". The Kirkwood Call. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ a b "Barbara Phifer's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Representative Barbara Phifer District 090". house.mo.gov. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ "Barbara Phifer On the Issues". UpBallot. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- ^ "Barbara Phifer". ballotpedia. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ Rosenbaum, Jason. "Rep. Barbara Phifer Provides First Impressions Of Missouri House". St Louis Public Radio. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ Suntrup, Jack (March 12, 2024). "Kirkwood Democrat blasts 'book banning' in kickoff for secretary of state campaign". STLtoday.com. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ "Missouri state office elections swept by Republicans Bailey, Hoskins, Malek and Wasinger". KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR. November 6, 2024.
- ^ "Representative Barbara Phifer, District 90". molegdems. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Missouri Secretary of State (August 6, 2024). "State of Missouri - State of Missouri - Primary Election, August 06, 2024". enr.sos.mo.gov/. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
External links
- Phifer for Missouri campaign website
- Representative Barbara Phifer legislative website
You must be logged in to post a comment.