On Jan. 21, Taylor Burks, a current candidate for Missouri’s fourth congressional district, visited the University of Central Missouri campus. Burks met with UCM’s College Republicans to visit with students and talk about his campaign and views.

  Burks said he feels as though he has a connection to college students, which is why he likes to visit campuses to talk with students.

  “I was president of our College Republicans up at Truman [State University], so I know what it’s like to be a young person active in politics, working with campaigns and volunteering,” Burks said. 

  Burks also said that he believes UCM is a good place to establish connections with students because of its large military population.

  “Being a college so close to Whiteman Airforce Base, with a large veteran population, I think this university is probably more in tune to what [current affairs look] like than, say, an average university with an average population,” Burks said.

  Kendra Benton, president of UCM’s College Republicans, said she was glad to have Burks come and visit the group.

  “I like to meet a lot of people, especially people running for office,” Benton said. “I like to bring people into our club and have them speak to us because I think it really means a lot and makes an impact, especially on people our age, and they build personal connections. That’s a big part of what we do.”

  Burks said he thinks young people in the Warrensburg and UCM community would value economic and national defense changes in today’s global political climate.

  “What we’ve seen in the last few years and the direction that we, as a country, are headed is going to matter very much to people who are students right now and coming out of college,” Burks said. “These are things that our generation and younger are going to be dealing with in our country. It’s not boomers who are going to fight conflicts against Russia, it’s people 40 and younger serving in the military.”

  The upcoming Missouri general election will occur on Nov. 8, in which Missourians can vote on the House, Senate, State Supreme Court and local district four legislators, which includes Burks (Republican), Anthony Osborne (Democrat), Mark Alford (Republican), Rick Brattin (Republican), Kalena Bruce (Republican), William Irwin (Republican), Kyle LaBrue (Republican), and Sara Walsh (Republican).