Missouri House GOP Picks Darin Chappell as Leader

Republicans selected the Navy veteran and state representative to lead their majority after Democrats flipped 16 House seats in the midterm elections.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Political Parties

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a stately limestone dome silhouetted against a pale sky over a flat horizon, in navy, cream, and muted red. — Republicans in Missouri's House chose Rep. Darin Chappell as majority leader Wednesday, a day after Democrats flipped 16 seats and ended the GOP's 14-year supermajority. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Missouri House Republicans selected Darin Chappell as majority leader on Wednesday, a day after Democrats flipped 16 seats in Tuesday's midterm elections. Democrats ended 14 years of Republican supermajorities in the chamber, while Republicans will retain control with 95 seats.

Why it matters

The loss of the two-thirds majority means Republicans will no longer be able to override gubernatorial vetoes without Democratic support. The shift comes after Missouri voters rejected several GOP-backed proposals this year, including measures addressing income taxes and abortion restrictions.

Republicans retain 95 House seats, but Democrats' 16 flipped seats end the two-thirds supermajority that let the GOP override vetoes alone. Darin Chappell's 70 percent reelection share came in a race 15 points closer than his 2024 margin.

The players

Darin Chappell

Darin Chappell is a Missouri Republican state representative and Navy veteran who previously taught at Missouri State University.

Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan is the stage name of singer Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, a pop artist and the nephew-relation of Darin Chappell.

The details

Darin Chappell, a Republican representing Missouri's 137th House District and first elected in 2022, was chosen by the caucus to lead the chamber's Republican majority. He is a Navy veteran and former Missouri State University instructor, and his nephew is singer Chappell Roan.

2022: Chappell first elected to the Missouri House.
2024: Chappell wins reelection with a wider margin than in 2026.
Tuesday, November 4, 2026: Midterm elections held; Democrats flip 16 seats.
Wednesday, November 5, 2026: Chappell selected as House majority leader.

Political Context

Democrats' 16-seat gain is the largest House shift for Missouri Republicans since the 1974 election, when the party lost 17 seats following Nixon's resignation. The result leaves the GOP short of the two-thirds supermajority it had held for 14 years.

Without a two-thirds majority, Republicans in the Missouri House will need Democratic votes to override any gubernatorial veto. That changes how proposals on taxes and abortion restrictions can move through the chamber.

The takeaway

Missouri's House now depends on bipartisan votes for major overrides, a shift that will shape which GOP priorities can become law in the coming session.