Mark Alford (politician)

Last updated

Leslie Adkins
​
(m. 1989)​
Mark Alford
Rep. Mark Alford official photo, 118th Congress.jpg
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives
from Missouri's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Children3
Education Lee College
Texas State University
University of Texas, Austin (attended)
Website House website

Mark Allen Alford Sr. (born October 4, 1963) is an American politician and former television news anchor serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Contents

Early life and career

Alford Sr. was born in Baytown, Texas. [1] [2] He attended Sterling High School and the University of Texas at Austin, but left college without graduating. [3]

Alford Sr. worked for KPRC-TV in Houston as a reporter and weekend anchor for News 2 Houston from 1995 and 1998. Before that, he was anchor for KDFW-TV in Dallas and a reporter with WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach; KWTX-TV in Waco; and KXAN-TV in Austin. [4] In 1998, he went to WDAF-TV in Kansas City as an anchor for Fox 4 News and stayed there for 23 years. He announced his resignation on October 8, 2021. [5]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

On October 27, 2021, Alford Sr. announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Missouri's 4th congressional district as a Republican in the 2022 elections. [6] [7] He won the Republican nomination in the August 2 primary election [8] and won the November 8 general election. [9]

Tenure

Alford Sr. was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House. [10]

He voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. [11] [12]

Alford supported the 2025 United States federal mass layoffs, telling fired federal employees at an event in Belton, Missouri that "God has a plan and purpose for your life." [13]

Alford supported proposed tariffs on Canadian trade, arguing that himself and American consumers are willing to accept higher costs to "get America right again." [14]

Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress: [15]

Personal life

Alford Sr. and his wife, Leslie, have three children, Mark Allen Alford Jr., Alexandria Naomi Francis, and Spencer "Jasper" Adkins Alford. [16] They live in Lake Winnebago, a suburb of Kansas City. Alford is a member of Evangel Church, an Assemblies of God megachurch in Kansas City.

References

  1. ↑ ABC 17 News Team (October 28, 2022). "Interview with Fourth Congressional District candidate Mark Alford". ABC17NEWS. Retrieved November 12, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ "Rep. Mark Alford - R Missouri, 4th, In Office - Biography | LegiStorm". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  3. ↑ Recchia, Charlie. "Three vying for open 4th Congressional District seat". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Thank You Mark Alfred for be our Rotary guest, bio below". Rotary Club of Independence. April 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ Your name(required) (October 8, 2021). "Anchor Mark Alford leaving FOX4 Kansas City after 23 years". Fox4kc.com. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  6. ↑ Shorman, Jonathan (October 27, 2021). "Former Fox 4 anchor enters race for Congress. 'I just feel like God's calling me'". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Former Kansas City news anchor Mark Alford announces bid for Congress". KCUR 89.3 - NPR in Kansas City. October 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ Producer, Andreas Busse, KOMU 8 Digital (August 2, 2022). "Mark Alford wins GOP nomination for Missouri's 4th Congressional District". KOMU 8.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "Former Kansas City TV anchor Mark Alford wins congressional seat". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. November 9, 2022.
  10. ↑ Gans, Jared (May 31, 2023). "Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no". The Hill . Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  11. ↑ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ Shorman, Jonathan (February 25, 2025). "'God has a plan,' Missouri congressman tells angry fired KC federal workers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  14. ↑ McHardy, Martha (March 4, 2025). "Republicans say Americans are willing to suffer higher prices for Trump". Newsweek. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Mark Alford". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Former news anchor Mark Alford: "God's calling me" to run for Congress". Metro Voice News. October 28, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Missouri's 4th congressional district
2023–present		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
300th		Succeeded by
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