YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Amid his third term in the Missouri House of Representatives, state Rep. Alex Riley, R-Springfield, is seeking the top leadership role of the legislative body.
While the formal election won’t be held until the start of the 2027 legislative session, Riley is the only state representative to declare his candidacy for Speaker of the House. Gov. Mike Kehoe even referred to Riley as the next speaker when in Springfield last month for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the State event. Republicans will select a speaker designee in September in advance of the House vote.
“I’ve been able to work really hard with all the various factions that we have within the House Republican caucus, and there is no opposition,” says Riley, currently the majority floor leader. “At this point, everyone is behind me.”
Still, there is another race to be run, as Riley will seek a fourth term in the House next year. While candidates can’t officially file until February 2026, Riley says he’s unaware of any opponents yet.
As for the process of selecting the House speaker a year in advance, Riley says it’s to give that person a year to assemble their team, prepare a legislative agenda, assemble committees and raise funds for fellow politicians.
If elected to the leadership post, Riley would be the second House speaker from Springfield in the state’s history. The first was Elijah Haahr, succeeded by Riley in the House’s 134th District seat.
Aside from his political career, Riley is an attorney with Healy Law Offices LLC, where he says a lot of his work focuses on the business sector.
“So, it’s helping businesses get started, helping businesses navigate all the red tape that government all too often throws in their way, helping navigate the tax structure, all of those types of things,” Riley says.
That focus has also been a top priority in his work in Jefferson City.
“What I’ve wanted to do and have spent most of my time in office doing is trying to create a business structure in Missouri that’s extremely favorable for businesses,” he says. “So, it’s deregulation, it’s low taxes, it’s trying to do those things to support businesses when they come to the state and ask for something. And often that’s just asking us to get out of their way and let them innovate and create and hire people and sell products and services that people want.”
Riley says his personal legislative desires seem to match up with those of his constituents. He noting he most often hears about the economy, education, crime and public safety. He counts his regulatory sandbox bill among his biggest legislative achievements to date. It reduces regulatory burdens, thus allowing entrepreneurs to bring new products and services to market.
His interest in the legal field was sparked when he took a job as a paralegal at Turner, Reid, Duncan, Loomer & Patton P.C.
“I’m pretty sure I’m the only (lawyer) in the family,” he says, adding he’s also the family’s lone politician. “It was something that I discovered that I loved.”
He began working on local political campaigns as a teenager and says he ran for office to try and make Missouri a better place to live, work and raise a family.
The married father of four says he feels blessed and is pursuing opportunities – personally and professionally – as they arise.
“My approach has always been, whether it’s on the political side or on the business side, is do the best job with the work that’s in front of you and doors will either open or close,” he says. “It’s worked out pretty well in life so far.”
Founded in 2020, EnCompass Academy moved to a larger home this summer for the 2026-27 year.
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