Springfieldian running for District 134 seat

Springfieldian Emily Florence has launched a campaign for the District 134 seat in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Florence officially announced her bid for the seat, which covers a portion of south and southwest Springfield, in a Facebook post last week. The District 134 seat is currently held by Rep. Alex Riley, R-Springfield, who is expected to become the next speaker of the state House. 

Florence is registered as a Democrat for the Aug. 4, 2026, primary election with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Her campaign website indicates she works in sales in the travel industry.

In the Facebook post, Florence said that if elected, her priorities would be to fully fund schools and fairly compensate teachers, ensure fair wages and paid sick leave for workers and shore up affordable health care and child care for families.

"No one should ever have to choose between their health and a paycheck. No parent should have to wonder whether they can afford safe care for their kids," Florence said in the post. "Our district deserves a representative who will listen to the people and respect the vote of their constituents at the ballot box."

Riley was first elected to the District 134 seat in 2020.