Missouri Farmers

After more than 13 years representing Missouri's 8th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith has one advantage no challenger can claim: a lengthy public record. The question facing voters is whether measurable conditions across southeast Missouri have improved during his tenure. KENNETT, Mo. — When Jason Smith was first elected to Congress in a 2013 special election, Missouri's 8th Congressional District was already one of the nation's poorest congressional districts. The Bootheel faced declining population, aging infrastructure, hospital financial pressures, stagnant wages and the continuing loss of manufacturing jobs. Today, many of those same challenges remain. That does not necessarily mean Smith failed. Members of Congress do not control the economy, commodity prices, inflation, migration, interest rates or global markets. They serve as one of 435 members of the U.S. House and often work alongside presidents from both political parties. Still, incumbents campaign on results, and results can be measured. Population Much of southeast Missouri has continued losing population during Smith's tenure. Dunklin, Pemiscot, New Madrid, Mississippi, Ripley, Carter, Reynolds and several neighboring counties have all experienced population declines over the past decade. Population loss affects nearly every aspect of rural life. Fewer residents generally mean fewer taxpayers, fewer workers, declining school enrollment, fewer physicians and increasing difficulty attracting employers. Supporters of Smith note that rural population decline has occurred across much of America and cannot fairly be attributed to one congressman. Critics argue that reversing those trends should be one of a representative's primary responsibilities. Both statements can be true. Jobs Employment has recovered significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, and unemployment across southeast Missouri is substantially lower than during the height of the pandemic. However, unemployment alone tells only part of the story. Many rural counties continue struggling with labor-force participation, meaning a significant percentage of working-age adults are neither employed nor actively seeking work. Several communities continue reporting shortages in manufacturing, health care, skilled trades and education while simultaneously facing declining populations. Smith frequently highlights manufacturing investment, tax policy and workforce development as evidence federal policies are encouraging job creation. Whether those jobs are sufficient to reverse decades of economic decline remains an open question. Agriculture Agriculture remains the district's economic backbone. Smith has consistently supported commodity agriculture, crop insurance, tax provisions benefiting farmers and legislation designed to reduce regulatory burdens. He has also promoted expanded export opportunities. Yet agriculture has faced repeated challenges during his tenure. Farmers have experienced volatile commodity prices, rising fertilizer costs, higher fuel prices, increased machinery expenses, labor shortages and trade disruptions. Federal disaster assistance and market-facilitation payments helped offset some losses during trade disputes and natural disasters. Supporters credit Smith with helping secure assistance for producers. Critics argue emergency payments demonstrate the underlying economic problems were never fully resolved. Both perspectives deserve consideration. Rural Health Care Few issues better illustrate rural Missouri's challenges than health care. Hospitals across rural Missouri continue operating under financial pressure. Several facilities within or near the district have reduced services, struggled to recruit physicians or faced staffing shortages. Mental health services remain limited throughout much of the Bootheel. Residents frequently travel long distances for specialty care. Smith has repeatedly stated that protecting rural hospitals and improving health care access remain priorities. He has also supported expanding physician training and reducing health care costs. The measurable outcome, however, is mixed. While some federal funding has supported rural providers, many communities continue facing physician shortages and limited access to specialty care. Broadband Broadband access has improved dramatically since Smith entered Congress. Thousands of homes and businesses throughout southeast Missouri now have access to high-speed internet unavailable a decade ago. Federal programs administered through multiple administrations have funded significant expansion. Smith has highlighted those improvements as evidence of continued investment in rural America. However, portions of the district remain underserved, particularly in isolated rural areas where expansion costs remain high. Broadband is one area where measurable improvement has occurred, although the work remains incomplete. Infrastructure Roads, bridges, flood-control projects and water systems have continued receiving federal investment throughout Smith's tenure. Communities across southeast Missouri have benefited from transportation and infrastructure grants. At the same time, Smith voted against the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021. Smith argued the legislation spent too much money and included provisions beyond traditional infrastructure. After the legislation became law, many Missouri communities—including some within his district—received funding created by that act. Supporters say opposing the overall legislation should not prevent a congressman from helping constituents receive available funding. Critics argue voters should distinguish between voting against legislation and later celebrating projects financed by it. Both are legitimate points for voters to consider. Federal Spending Smith frequently campaigns as a fiscal conservative committed to reducing federal spending and controlling the national debt. During his congressional service, however, the federal debt has increased substantially. Responsibility for that increase does not rest with one member of Congress. Congresses controlled by both political parties, along with presidents from both parties, approved spending measures, tax legislation, pandemic relief and disaster assistance that contributed to rising debt. Smith has supported some spending packages while opposing others. Voters evaluating fiscal responsibility should examine not only campaign speeches but also individual votes. Veterans Smith has consistently supported legislation involving veterans' health care, disability benefits and expanded access to services. His district offices routinely publicize assistance provided to veterans navigating federal agencies. Veterans' organizations generally praise congressional casework offices regardless of party affiliation. The broader challenge remains ensuring sufficient medical providers and specialty services are available close to home. Education Educational attainment across much of southeast Missouri continues trailing state averages. Many communities struggle retaining college graduates. Teacher shortages remain common. Smith has supported workforce development, technical education and apprenticeship programs. Those initiatives address part of the workforce challenge, but measurable educational outcomes across much of the district have changed slowly. The Bottom Line Jason Smith's record contains measurable accomplishments. He has become one of the most influential members of the U.S. House, chairs one of Congress' most powerful committees and has helped shape national tax policy. His office has assisted thousands of constituents navigating federal agencies. His supporters argue that seniority gives southeast Missouri influence it would otherwise lose. At the same time, many of the problems Smith campaigned on more than a decade ago remain familiar today. Population continues declining across much of the Bootheel. Many young adults still leave for educational and employment opportunities elsewhere. Affordable housing remains scarce. Rural hospitals continue facing financial pressures. Mental health services remain limited. Agriculture continues operating in an increasingly volatile global marketplace. Those realities do not establish success or failure by themselves. They do, however, provide voters with measurable benchmarks as they evaluate whether another term would produce different results. Campaign Notebook will continue examining each candidate using the same standard: documented promises, verifiable actions and measurable outcomes—not party labels or campaign rhetoric.