Chris Stigall, a prominent conservative radio host, has emerged victorious in the race for Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, taking over from retiring U.S. Representative Sam Graves.
As of the early results, Stigall garnered approximately 52.3 percent of the votes, translating to 53,085 ballots cast in his favor, leaving his Democrat competitor, Josh Smead, trailing with 46,179 votes, or about 45.5 percent. This gave Stigall a margin of around 6.8 percentage points. Libertarian Andy Maidment was also on the ballot.
Initial precinct reports indicated that Stigall was leading by an even wider margin, finding support in the low 60s in some areas. Reports from counties like Lincoln also suggested strong backing, with Stigall securing mid-60s percentages in the incomplete tallies.
POLL: Does Abdul El-Sayed Belong In The Senate?
RACE CALL: Chris Stigall (R) wins MO-06 pic.twitter.com/y1zbOFMcEd
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 4, 2026
The Missouri Secretary of State’s Election Night Reporting system was actively updating unofficial results as counties provided their data, with updates continuing after the polls closed at 7 p.m. local time. Full district results were still pending as of early evening, adhering to the typical staggered reporting seen in larger districts encompassing both rural and suburban regions.
Final certification will take place upon completion of the canvassing process across all counties.
Stigall, who hails from Richmond in Ray County, Missouri, has built a notable career in conservative talk radio. After earning a broadcasting degree from Northwest Missouri State University, he briefly served as a field representative and deputy communications director in Graves’ office before fully committing to talk radio.
His career has spanned various markets including Kansas City and Philadelphia, and he formerly hosted a nationally syndicated morning show on the Salem Radio Network before stepping down to run for Congress.
Stigall received support from Graves shortly after the latter’s retirement announcement in March, marking a transition of leadership after over two decades in office. He secured the Republican nomination during the primary on August 4, achieving about 44 percent of the vote amid a field of five candidates.
Missouri’s 6th Congressional District covers a significant portion of northern Missouri, extending from the Kansas to the Illinois border, encompassing parts of roughly three dozen counties. Major population centers include the northern Kansas City metropolitan area and St. Joseph, along with rural agricultural communities such as Maryville, Kirksville, Hannibal, and Troy.
During the general election, Stigall faced off against Democrat Josh Smead, a small-business owner and architect from Liberty, along with Libertarian Andy Maidment and Independent Kimberly Niffen.
