Mark Alford

Mark Allen Alford Sr. is a Republican politician representing Missouri's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born on October 4, 1963, in Baytown, Texas, Alford attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied government and Latin American Affairs, following studies at Lee College and Southwest Texas State. Before entering public service, he established a long career in television journalism, working as a reporter and anchor for several stations in Texas and Florida before moving to Kansas City, Missouri. In Kansas City, Alford served as a news anchor for WDAF-TV (FOX 4) for 23 years, becoming a prominent media figure in the region. In addition to his broadcasting career, he worked as a licensed realtor and team lead for ReeceNichols Real Estate and operated his own design business. Alford resigned from his television position in 2021 to enter politics, running for the congressional seat vacated by Vicky Hartzler. Alford was first elected to Congress in November 2022 and assumed office on January 3, 2023. During his initial term, he served on the House Armed Services, Agriculture, and Small Business Committees. For the 119th Congress, he was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee and serves as the Chairman of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee for the Small Business Committee. His legislative work often focuses on supporting military installations in his district, such as Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood, and advocating for the interests of Missouri's agricultural community.

Representative Mark Alford maintains a conservative policy platform with a strong emphasis on fiscal responsibility, national security, and agricultural advocacy. He is a vocal critic of federal overreach, notably supporting resolutions to overturn EPA emission standards on heavy-duty vehicles, which he argues unfairly burden farmers and the trucking industry. In fiscal matters, he has advocated for deeper spending cuts, including voting against the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act because he believed it did not sufficiently reduce the national debt or cut government spending. On national security, Alford supports robust military funding and the modernization of defense resources, particularly for the air and land forces stationed in Missouri. He is an advocate for stricter drug enforcement, supporting the "Halt Fentanyl Act" to provide law enforcement with better tools to combat the opioid crisis. Additionally, he focuses on rural development issues such as the expansion of high-speed broadband and has advocated for federal requirements to keep AM radio in new vehicles to ensure emergency information remains accessible to rural residents. His positions align with core Republican values of individual liberty, limited government, and a strong national defense.