Kurtis Gregory

Football career

Kurtis Gregory
Member of the Missouri Senate from the 21st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 8, 2025
No. 78
Position	Guard
Personal information
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	308 lb (140 kg)
Career information
High school	Santa Fe (Alma, Missouri)
College	Missouri (2005–2009)
NFL draft	2010: undrafted
Career history
Carolina Panthers (2010)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Awards and highlights
Second-team all-Big 12 (2009)

Kurtis Gregory (born August 7, 1986) is an American politician serving as a member of the Missouri Senate since 2025. Before that he was in the Missouri House of Representatives from the 51st district. ^[1] A Republican, he has served since 2021. Gregory attended the University of Missouri, where he played college football for the Tigers.

Early life and education

Gregory is a graduate of Santa Fe R-10 High School and earned his Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in General Agriculture from the University of Missouri.

Career

Gregory's family farm includes corn and soybeans for a local family-owned hog operation. Gregory has served on the board of directors for Missouri Corn Growers and is a local delegate for MFA Oil. He is also a member of the Saline County Farm Bureau, Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Cattlemen’s. Gregory was awarded the Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture Award in 2022, and he was in the Corn Growers inaugural CornRoots Leadership Class in 2013.^{[ citation needed ]} Gregory also had a short stint in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. Kurtis played on the Missouri Tigers football team from 2006 to 2009. ^[2] He played left tackle in 2006 and then started 41 straight games at right guard from 2007 until he graduated. In 2007, his Tigers beat Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl and finished the season ranked 4th in the nation. In 2008, they beat Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl, and in 2009, Gregory served as team captain.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 2023, along with SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky, and Condoleezza Rice, Sports Illustrated named Gregory one of the 25 Most Intriguing Suits in College Football. ^[3]

Missouri House of Representatives

Gregory was elected to his first two-year term in November 2020 to represent District 51, comprising Lafayette and Saline counties.

Committee assignments

• Rules - Regulatory Oversight, Chairman
• Agriculture Policy, Vice-Chairman
• Budget
• Subcommittee on Appropriations - Agriculture, Conservation, Natural Resources, and Economic Development
• Insurance Policy

Source: ^[4]

Political issues

Environment

In 2024, Gregory introduced a bill to remove runoff from the state definition of contamination sources, backed by Missouri Corn Growers Association. The fiscal note estimated a loss of $4.7 million funding to Missouri Department of Natural Resources and 17 staff members. ^[5]

Health insurance

In 2025, Gregory passed a bill to allow Missouri Farm Bureau carveouts to sell health insurance to employees outside the rules of the Affordable Care Act. The plans have lower rates due to medical underwriting and lack of regulation for pre-existing conditions. Opposition raised concerns about the rest of uninsured Missourians who cannot afford private health insurance, however the bill passed with additional measures to expand state medicaid coverage. ^[6]

Electoral history

2020 Missouri House of Representatives District 51 General Election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kurtis Gregory	10,803	75.26%
	Libertarian	Bill Wayne	3,551	24.74%
Total votes			14,354	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives Election, November 8, 2022, District 51 ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kurtis Gregory	9,464	83.35%	+8.09
	Constitution	Jenn DePee	1,890	16.65%	n/a
Total votes			11,354	100.00%

Personal life

Born in Blackburn, Missouri, Gregory currently resides in Marshall with his wife, Kella, and three children, Brook, Landon and Henley, where they attend Calvary Baptist Church.

References

1. "Kurtis Gregory". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
2. "Kurtis Gregory - Football". University of Missouri Athletics. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
3. "The Most Intriguing Suits in College Football".
4. "Representative Kurtis Gregory".
5. Kite, Allison (February 13, 2024). "Missouri House bill would jeopardize millions in funding to fight water pollution". Missouri Independent. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
6. Bates, Clara (May 16, 2025). "Lawmakers approve bill exempting Missouri Farm Bureau health plans from federal rules". Missouri Independent. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
7. "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.