Gena Puckett outlines priorities in Missouri House District 9 race
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Gena Puckett will appear on the ballot for the first time as a candidate for Missouri House District 9.
Born and raised in Gallatin, Missouri, Puckett spent 31 years teaching in Missouri public schools. She decided to run for office because of concerns about state funding for Missouri public schools.
"The defunding of our public schools just really started hitting home. Somebody needs to step up and try to change things, so that's why I put my name on the ballot," she said.
Puckett said public education in rural communities is one of the biggest issues facing people in District 9.
"We're almost 300 million underfunding our schools, and we’re sending public funds to private schools and the voucher program," she said. "The rural schools, where are they going to take a voucher? We gotta work on that budgeting."
She said funding for senior care is another key issue facing residents of District 9.
"We have senior centers sending out SOS saying, 'Hey, we don’t have the funding to keep doing this.' In the county I live in, I went to a fundraiser recently for the senior center, and we got them going for a few more months," Puckett said. "They're not expecting funding until next year."
Puckett's top priority, if elected, is figuring out where Missourians' tax dollars are going.
"There’s a lot of interesting financing going on down there that I think needs to be looked into, and that might be something that I kinda poke my nose in and see," she said.
Puckett said rural Missouri is a maternity care desert and wants to ensure funding is directed to the right places.
"Women wanting to have a baby have to drive, and that’s hard. It goes back again to what our priorities are as Missourians," she said. "Is the money going to the places it needs to go? We've got to find the money to fund these things."
Abortion will appear on the November ballot. This would repeal Amendment 3, which was passed by voters in 2024. It amended the state constitution, providing for the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including abortion.
Puckett said she hates that Missourians have to vote on the issue again.
"The people spoke two years ago, and our legislators didn't honor that. Whether I believe in it or not, how I feel about it is pretty much irrelevant because why are we voting on it again," she said. "If we’re to represent them (District 9), that’s what I would go in with because it doesn’t matter about me, it’s about the people that are out there. I would like to go on the record; I would do my best to honor the people's vote."
For more information about Proposition 3, KQ2’s Noel Hardin breaks down what you need to know about the issue.
Data centers have been a hot topic across the country as well.
According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, there were roughly 50 data centers established in Missouri by the 2020s.
Puckett said data center development needs to slow down so the potential consequences can be assessed.
"I just feel like it’s been very quick. There’s been a lot of hush-hush. If this was a good thing, why would people need to sign NDAs? That is something I question," she said. "Let’s just take a breath for a second. I wanna know- what are the environmental impacts? I’ve got young grandchildren, and I wanna make sure that the Earth that I leave them is not full of chemicals and junk."
Puckett said voters should choose her to represent District 9 in Jefferson City because she wants to bring change.
"We just have got to figure out how to come together here in the middle and make things better. That would be my goal," she said. "That would be something I feel like I bring to the table is my willingness to not follow a party line but to be what do I think the citizens, and I will ask them. What do I think the citizens of House District 9 want? That is how I will legislate down there."
Election Day will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3. To find information on candidates and propositions featured on the ballot, visit KQ2.com/voterguide.
