Nathan Willett Says North Missouri Needs a Congressman Who Will “Show Up”

LEWIS COUNTY, Mo. — Nathan Willett, a candidate for U.S. Congress in Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, joined the Lewis County Scoop for a wide-ranging interview focused on federal spending, law enforcement, agriculture, data centers, Amendment 5, workforce development and why he believes North Missouri needs a stronger voice in Washington, D.C.

The Republican candidate is seeking the congressional seat representing Missouri’s 6th District, which covers much of northern Missouri. During the interview, he said he entered the race after Congressman Sam Graves announced he would not seek another term after filing for office.

“I believe that the people of North Missouri deserve a proven conservative fighter, someone that’s not handpicked by the establishment,” – Nathan Willett.

In Willett’s view, the next representative should be chosen by voters, not handed off by political insiders.

“I believe that the people of North Missouri deserve a proven conservative fighter, someone that’s not handpicked by the establishment,” he said.

A seventh-generation North Missourian, Willett said his family has farmed in the region for generations. He currently serves on the Kansas City City Council, where he represents about 90,000 residents in the city’s Northland area. He also works as a high school math teacher.

His entry into public service, he said, was driven in part by the defund-the-police movement. He ran for city council with a focus on fully funding police and supporting law enforcement.

“I fully backed the blue,” he said.

The Kansas City councilman said he is proud to have support from the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, including lodges across North Missouri.

When asked what he is hearing from voters while traveling the district, border security and immigration enforcement were among the first issues he mentioned.

He said he supports President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts and believes the country should not allow criminal illegal immigrants to remain in the United States.

“I hear from a lot of people that they want full throttle on deportations,” he said.

Beyond immigration, the congressional candidate said voters want someone who understands the district, works hard and stays connected to the people.

Constituent service, he said, has been a priority in his current role. If basic services are not being handled in his council district, such as snow removal or trash pickup, he views it as his responsibility to help get the problem fixed.

“I think that’s what people want to see,” he said. “Someone who’s gonna work hard, not just be a good conservative vote in Washington, but also understand the district and show up.”

Federal spending and the national debt were also part of the conversation.

The 30-year-old candidate said he is concerned about the federal government continuing to rely on continuing resolutions and pushing debt onto future generations. He said government should be forced to focus on its proper role and stop adding departments and spending programs that create long-term costs.

“We got to balance the budget,” he said. “We can’t just continue and be doing these continuing resolutions.”

At the local level, he said he has voted against city budgets in Kansas City because he believed they included spending that did not belong in government.

“The question you have to ask yourself is what’s the role of government and stick to it,” he said.

Asked about term limits, Willett said he supports them, though he believes they should be structured carefully so lobbyists do not gain even more control.

“I support term limits 100%,” he said.

The Lewis County Scoop also asked what separates him from the other Republican candidates in the race.

The North Missouri candidate pointed to his record as the only Republican on the Kansas City City Council, saying he has been willing to stand alone on 12-1 votes when he believed the issue mattered. He said he fought against efforts to make Kansas City a sanctuary city and also supported bringing bus fare back after the city had eliminated it.

“Whenever they say something’s free, it’s not free,” he said. “Quality goes down and the costs go up for everyone.”

The interview included a question about AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which the Lewis County Scoop has asked other congressional candidates about.

“It should be up to the people in the district to decide their congressman, not the D.C. establishment,” – Nathan Willett

Willett said he has not taken money from AIPAC and said his campaign has been funded largely by North Missourians. He also said he supports Israel as an ally and believes Iran should not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

When asked directly if he would take money from AIPAC if approached, he said no.

“It should be up to the people in the district to decide their congressman, not the D.C. establishment,” he said.

Data centers were another major topic.

On that issue, Willett said proposals should be handled case by case and should not be forced onto local communities. North Missouri land, he said, should remain focused on North Missourians and agricultural production, while also acknowledging the need for the United States to compete with China and Russia in artificial intelligence.

“I think North Missouri land should be used for North Missourians and farm for ag production, not necessarily just becoming a land of data centers,” he said.

He said communities need to be protected, including ratepayers and local residents. He also said people deserve to know who is deciding incentive packages for these projects.

“That’s what we need more of, is transparency,” he said.

Asked about Amendment 5 in Missouri, the congressional candidate said he understands the general goal of eliminating the income tax, but he has heard concerns from rural communities about how the proposal would be implemented.

For counties near state lines, including Lewis County, he said higher sales taxes could push residents to shop across the border.

“In theory, I like that,” he said of eliminating income tax. “But how is it gonna impact communities that are bordering other states?”

He said there are still questions to be answered and that many rural residents he has spoken with are not excited about the proposal.

The campaign’s endorsements also came up during the interview.

Willett said he has been endorsed by Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Right to Life and the Fraternal Order of Police. The Farm Bureau endorsement, he said, was especially meaningful because agriculture is the top industry in North Missouri.

“I will fight for farmers in Washington,” he said.

If elected, he said he wants to serve on the House Agriculture Committee and remain there. He also said he wants to support the next generation of farmers and agricultural families.

Workforce development was another point of emphasis. Willett said not every young person should be pushed toward college, and more attention should be placed on trades and productive careers such as welding, plumbing and electrical work.

“We shouldn’t be pushing college on the next generation,” he said. “We should be pushing productive careers.”

He said he helped secure funding for the Northland Workforce Development Center and wants to support similar efforts across North Missouri.

In his message to Lewis County voters, the Republican candidate said the district needs a congressman who will build relationships, show up in local communities and stay connected after the election.

He said he has already been in Lewis County several times and met with Sheriff David Parrish during his visit.

“Do you want a congressman who’s gonna show up, build a relationship with people?” he asked.

The Lewis County Scoop also asked whether he would return for future interviews or updates if elected. He said he would, adding that communication should include not just updates, but also in-person visits across the district.

“I want to work all 33 counties like I have in this campaign,” he said.

Willett closed by asking voters for their prayers, support and vote in the Aug. 4 election.

“It’s time to have a proven conservative fighter, a doer and not a talker out in Washington on behalf of North Missouri,” he said.

The interview is part of the Lewis County Scoop’s effort to provide voters with direct access to candidates running for public office. The Lewis County Scoop does not endorse any candidate. Podcast interviews are provided for informational purposes only so voters can hear directly from the candidates and make their own decisions.