Riley Wins Missouri House District 134 Seat
Republican Alex Riley won the state House seat and is slated to become the next Speaker of the Missouri House.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Republican Alex Riley won the Missouri House District 134 election with 54.6% of the vote, defeating Democrat Kelsey Grant. Riley is slated to become the next Speaker of the Missouri House.
Why it matters
Riley's expected speakership would give Springfield control of the legislative agenda for the next two years. The result places a Springfield lawmaker in the chamber's top leadership role for the state.
Riley won 54.6% of the vote against Democrat Kelsey Grant, a registered nurse, after running unopposed in 2024. The extraction does not specify the vote totals or the formal date of the House speaker vote.
The players
Alex Riley
A Republican state representative from Springfield who won the District 134 seat and is slated to become Speaker of the Missouri House.
Kelsey Grant
A registered nurse and Democratic candidate who lost the District 134 election to Riley.
The details
Riley, a Republican, won the seat in Missouri House District 134, which he had previously held unopposed in 2024. He is slated to become Speaker of the Missouri House, a post based in Jefferson City.
Timeline
2024: Riley ran and won the District 134 seat unopposed.
November 4, 2026: Riley won the District 134 election.
Over the summer of 2026: Public schools were shorted an additional $40 million.
Legal Context
Missouri ranks 49th in public school funding and ninth as the most expensive state for students to buy back-to-school supplies. Public schools have been shorted $190 million this year and an additional $40 million over the summer.
Springfield residents will see their city hold control of the legislative agenda under Riley's speakership for the next two years. Missouri public schools face a $190 million shortfall this year, which affects school budgets across the state.
The takeaway
Missouri's legislative leadership shifts toward Springfield as public school funding remains among the lowest in the nation.
Further reading
Explore more Missouri election coverage for context on the state's legislative races.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KSMU Radio.
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Should Missouri increase funding for public schools this year?
