Richard Ray Brattin Jr. (born July 22, 1980) is an American politician serving as a Republican state senator from the U.S. state of Missouri, representing the 31st district taking up Cass, Bates, Barton, Henry, and Vernon Counties.[1] He is a former state representative, having served three terms in the Missouri House of Representatives. He represented Missouri's 55th Legislative District, which encompasses several suburbs of Kansas City in Cass County, including Raymore, Peculiar, and Lake Winnebago. He is currently Vice Chairman of the Corrections and Consumer Affairs committees.
Rick Brattin | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Missouri Senate from the 31st district | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Ed Emery |
| Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 55th district | |
| In office January 9, 2013 – January 9, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Sheila Solon (redistricting) |
| Succeeded by | Mike Haffner |
| Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 124th district | |
| In office January 5, 2011 – January 9, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Luke Scavuzzo |
| Succeeded by | Rocky Miller (redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Ray Brattin Jr. July 22, 1980 Greenwood, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Website | Campaign website |
Early life and military career
editBrattin was born on July 22, 1980. He was raised in Greenwood, Missouri, and is a graduate of Lee's Summit High School.[2]
After the September 11 attacks, he joined the United States Marine Corps. He rose through the ranks and became a sergeant after six years. He was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2010.[citation needed]
Issues
editAbortion
editIn December 2014, Brattin proposed legislation that would require women seeking abortions in Missouri to obtain written consent from the father of the fetus, except in cases of "legitimate rape."[3][4] Brattin cited his own recent vasectomy as his inspiration for the legislation.[3]
In Feb 2024, while debating an amendment to allow abortions for rape or incest, Brattin advocated that a rape victim be forced to carry the rapist's fetus to term. He indicated supporting the death penalty for rapists, and suggested that the resulting baby, "by God’s grace, may even be the greatest healing agent you need in which to recover from such an atrocity."[5]
Education
editIn 2013, Brattin sponsored legislation that would afford equal treatment in textbooks for intelligent design and evolution.[6]
In January 2017, Brattin proposed a bill to end tenure in public universities in Missouri.[7] The bill would also "require public colleges to publish estimated costs of degrees, employment opportunities expected for graduates, average salaries of previous graduates, and a summary of the job market, among other things."[7]
Free speech
editIn 2015, in response to a protest by the University of Missouri football team related to campus discrimination, Brattin proposed a bill that would strip a college athlete of their scholarship if the athlete "calls, incites, supports or participates in any strike or concerted refusal to play a scheduled game."[8]
In 2021, the state senator proposed a bill that would target unlawful assemblies, including the use of deadly force against protesters on private property.[9]
Homosexuality
editIn 2017, Brattin made a statement on the Missouri House floor that "When you look at the tenets of religion, of the Bible, of the Qur’an, of other religions, there is a distinction between homosexuality and just being a human being."[10] The Kansas City Star called his position intolerant and said in an editorial, "The statement, made on the Missouri House floor, was deplorable. It betrayed a stunning lack of understanding of theology and self-government: The Constitution protects all Americans from the tyranny of any single faith-based approach to secular law."[11]
Medicaid
editIn 2024, Brattin participated in a 25 hour filibuster of taxes necessary to fund Medicaid, citing his concerns about abortion, which is already illegal in Missouri. Republicans Lincoln Hough and Mike Parson described the act as "pathetic political gamesmanship" and "deliberate dysfunction."[12]
Welfare
editIn February 2015, Brattin introduced Missouri House Bill 813,[13] reading "A recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits shall not use such benefits to purchase cookies, chips, energy drinks, soft drinks, seafood, or steak."[14]
Defamation lawsuit
editIn April 2024, Brattin was sued for defamation by Denton Loudermill of Olathe, Kansas, after Brattin posted a picture of Loudermill in handcuffs on social media, falsely identifying him as an undocumented immigrant and as a "shooter" at the 2024 Kansas City parade shooting.[15] At a news conference in February 2024, Brattin stated that he and others who shared false information about the shooting had nothing to apologize for.[15]
Electoral history
editState representative
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 8,100 | 51.29% | +9.74 | |
| Democratic | Luke Scavuzzo | 7,335 | 46.44% | −12.01 | |
| Constitution | Kent Cogan | 359 | 2.27% | +2.27 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 11,747 | 65.50% | +14.21 | |
| Democratic | Jim White | 6,465 | 34.50% | −11.94 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 8,362 | 100% | +34.50 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 12,350 | 63.37% | −36.63 | |
| Democratic | Ashley Beard-Fosnow | 7,139 | 36.63% | +36.63 | |
State Senate
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 14,012 | 49.59 | N/A | |
| Republican | Jack Bondon | 12,467 | 44.13 | N/A | |
| Republican | Bill Yarberry | 1,774 | 6.28 | N/A | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 63,929 | 71.42 | −1.01 | |
| Democratic | Raymond Kinney | 25,584 | 28.58 | +28.58 | |
U.S. Representative
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Alford | 36,981 | 35.18% | ||
| Republican | Rick Brattin | 22,509 | 21.42% | ||
| Republican | Kalena Bruce | 16,677 | 15.87% | ||
| Republican | Taylor Burks | 10,624 | 10.11% | ||
| Republican | William (Bill) Irwin | 9,648 | 9.18% | ||
| Republican | Jim (Soupy) Campbell | 4,642 | 4.42% | ||
| Republican | Kyle Stonner LaBrue | 4,026 | 3.83% | ||
| Total votes | 105,107 | 100.00% | |||
Personal life
editBrattin is married and has five children.[23]
References
edit- ^ "Missouri State Senate - District 31 Election Results | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel".
- ^ Williams, Mará Rose (February 1, 2017). "Legislator wants to hand a pink slip to guaranteed job security at Missouri colleges". Kansas City Star. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ a b Redden, Molly (17 December 2014). "This GOP Lawmaker Wants a Woman to Get Permission From the Father Before Having an Abortion". Mother Jones. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ "Father's OK needed for abortions in Missouri bill". KMOV-TV. Associated Press. 2015-03-12. Retrieved 2017-05-11.
- ^ "Missouri Senate votes against allowing abortion in cases of rape and incest". PBS. 7 February 2024.
- ^ Liebelson, Dana (8 February 2013). "Anti-Evolution Missouri Bill Requires College Students to Learn About Destiny". Mother Jones. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ a b Zamudio-Suaréz, Fernanda (January 13, 2017). "Lawmakers in 2 States Propose Bills to Cut Tenure". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
Missouri House Bill 266 isn't exclusively about cutting tenure. The bill would also require public colleges to publish estimated costs of degrees, employment opportunities expected for graduates, average salaries of previous graduates, and a summary of the job market, among other things.
- ^ Helling, Dave (16 December 2015). "Area lawmaker withdraws bill to yank scholarships from protesting athletes". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ Ballentine, Summer. "Missouri bill would allow deadly force against demonstrators". APNews.com.
- ^ Hancock, Jason (8 May 2017). "Missouri bill making it harder for workers to win discrimination cases goes to Greitens". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ Kansas City Star Editorial Board (9 May 2017). "Editorial: Intolerance in Missouri — lawmaker says there's a 'distinction between homosexuality and just being a human being'". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- ^ Keller, Rudi (2024-05-01). "Senate filibuster of taxes that fund Missouri Medicaid clears 25-hour mark". Missouri Independent. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Missouri House of Representatives". Archived from the original on 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2015-04-04.
- ^ "HOUSE BILL NO. 813" (PDF). Missouri House of Representatives.
- ^ a b Keller, Rudi (2024-04-04). "Three Missouri state senators sued for defamation over posts about Chiefs parade shooting". Missouri Independent. Archived from the original on 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
- ^ "All Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ^ "All Results; Official Results". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ^ "All Results; Official Results". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ^ "All Results; Official Results". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ^ "All Results; Official Results". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
- ^ "All Results; Official Results". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
- ^ "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. August 26, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Cheryl Chumley, Missouri politico pushes law to make women get men’s OK for abortion, Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/18/rick-brattin-pushes-law-to-force-men-OK-abort/