U.S. House · Missouri's 6th District
Josh Smead
CandidateD
- Race
- U.S. House · Missouri's 6th District
- Result
- Chris Stigall, projected winner
- Opponents
- Chris Stigall (R); Andy Maidment (LIB)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did7 statements · 0 votes
Eliminate ICE and any use of the military to illegally arrest, detain and/or deport
Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. House · 6
2026-11-03
| Chris Stigall R | challenger |
| Josh Smead D | challenger |
| Andy Maidment LIB | challenger |
Won the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Eliminate ICE and any use of the military to illegally arrest, detain and/or deport
Platform calls to eliminate ICE and to develop a humane legal immigration enforcement system separate from the Department of Homeland Security.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Stop the sweeping, erratic tariffs that raise the cost of imported goods and services
Platform calls to stop the sweeping tariffs imposed by the administration.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Reverse the Republicans' huge tax cuts to the wealthy
Platform calls for reversing the Republican tax cuts for the wealthy.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Keep and enforce background checks
Platform backs keeping and enforcing background checks, documenting gun sales and registration requirements for 3D-printed guns, alongside funding gun-violence research.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Stop Amendment 3 in November as it will prevent reproductive freedom
Platform calls to stop Missouri's Amendment 3 on the November ballot, which it says will prevent reproductive freedom.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Platform supports moving to a universal healthcare system and retaining Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP.
Documented position[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Told St. Louis Public Radio he would have voted to curtail the President's ability to use military force in Iran; his platform calls to stop the Iran war.
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Josh Smead, a Democratic licensed architect and small-business owner from Liberty, Missouri, lost the November 3, 2026 election for the open Missouri 6th District seat to Chris Stigall. He had not held elected office.[1][2][3][4][5]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Smead graduated from Harrisonburg High School, earned a bachelor's degree from James Madison University in 2012 and a graduate degree from Iowa State University in 2016, according to Ballotpedia.[2] Ballotpedia lists his career experience as working as an architect and general contractor.[2] He describes himself as a licensed architect and small-business owner who runs a local architecture and development firm with his wife in Liberty, Missouri, and as a father of four.[2]
Smead won the Democratic primary for the 6th District on August 4, 2026, and KCUR reports that he has not previously held office.[5][3] He told St. Louis Public Radio that he decided to run in large part to help Democrats take back the U.S. House, and KCUR notes that the last time a Democrat held the seat was in 2001, under a different district configuration.[5][3] During the campaign, he emphasized revitalizing rural north Missouri and term limits.[2][3][5] Smead received 39.0% of the vote to Chris Stigall's 58.7%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[4]
In their own words
Priorities
- Family: says Missouri should be the best place in the country to raise a family, with safe communities, strong schools, affordable healthcare and local economies that work for everyday people.[8]
- Liberty/limited government: says he'll fight for term limits, defend the Constitution, and reduce red tape and federal overreach that he says chokes opportunity for small businesses.[8]
- Rural revitalization: says north Missouri needs a "generational investment" in infrastructure, from schools and roads to bridges, to restore the region's economic vibrancy.[8]
Campaign money$72K raised · 88% from individuals · FEC through 2026-07-15
Totals this cycle
Bars share one scale (raised = full). Cash on hand can include money carried over from earlier cycles.
Who gave
- Individuals $64K
- Own money & loans $8,353
Largest committee contributions
No direct contributions from PACs or other committees in the FEC’s bulk data.
Direct contributions only; outside spending is not included. Individual donors are itemized in the FEC’s receipts. All itemized receipts ↗ FEC filing ↗
Profile: /people/josh-smead
Compare all 3 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.Josh Smead - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2025 Candidate's own words
- 3.Missouri 6th Congressional District voter guide: Stigall, Smead, Maidment · KCUR 89.3 · 2026-10-06 News report
- 4.U.S. House · Missouri's 6th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 5.Republican Chris Stigall will face Democrat Josh Smead in the race for Missouri's 6th District · St. Louis Public Radio · 2026-08-04 News report
- 6.The Plan · Josh Smead for Congress campaign website · 2026-10-03 Candidate's own words
- 7.Democrat Josh Smead believes Missouri's 6th District is undergoing political shift · St. Louis Public Radio · 2026-09-02 News report
- 8.Josh Smead - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2025 Candidate's own words