House District 135 draws new candidate

An entrepreneur and teacher has thrown his hat in the ring for the Missouri House of Representatives' District 135 seat, which represents a large swath of northeast Springfield.

John Chiles is running as a Democrat in the Aug. 4, 2026, primary election, Missouri Ethics Commission records show.

“The people of Missouri are smart, dedicated and hard-working. They care about their families and want a better life for their kids," Chiles said in a news release. "Unfortunately, they’re barely getting by. The cost of health care is unbearable, and families are having to choose between health insurance and childcare, health care and rent, health care and groceries. We must do better."

The District 135 seat is currently held by Rep. Betsy Fogle, D-Springfield, who last year announced she would run in 2026 to represent the state Senate's District 30, represented by Republican Lincoln Hough since 2019. Chiles noted in the release that Fogle has endorsed his campaign. 

Chiles is the founder of speaker company Embersound LLC, and he additionally co-founded agriculture and business consulting company Ozarks Renewal LLC with his father, Mike Chiles. According to the release, Chiles also is a part-time faculty member at California-based University of Redlands' Presidio Graduate School, and he has served as a Democratic volunteer for six years.

Republican candidate
Michael Hasty, who unsuccessfully challenged Fogle for her House seat in 2024, also filed as a Republican for District 135, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

A U.S. Army veteran, Hasty is a real estate agent at Murney Associates, Realtors, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Hasty's Nov. 21 campaign kickoff ceremony featured speakers Rep. Alex Riley, R-Springfield, U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Missouri, and Springfield Public Schools board member Maryam Mohammadkhani, according to his campaign Facebook page.

“I’m not a career politician,” Hasty’s campaign Facebook account posted in part on Jan. 12. “I’m a dad, a husband and a combat veteran who swore an oath to this country – and I still believe in serving something bigger than myself.”