Who's In the Race

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) faces Republican Rick Brattin and Libertarian Randy Langkraehr in the November 3 general election in Missouri's 5th Congressional District. ​

Cleaver has represented the district since 2005, previously served as Kansas City mayor from 1991 to 1999, and is a United Methodist minister. He ran unopposed in the August 4 Democratic primary.

Brattin has served in the Missouri Senate since 2021, previously completing four terms in the Missouri House from 2010 to 2018 and serving as Cass County auditor; he also served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Brattin won the August 4 Republican primary with about 45% of the vote, beating runner-up Taylor Burks, who received about 26%. The race is being held under the 2022 district boundaries after Missouri's 2025 congressional map was blocked, according to KCUR.

What They Stand For

Cleaver has proposed raising the minimum wage and tying it to inflation, according to his official House website, where he says, "A hard day's work should result in earning a decent day's pay." He's also supported:

  • Investment in public education and adequate federal funding for schools,
  • Clean-energy development in solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower; and
  • Energy assistance for low-income households through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Brattin has proposed fully securing the border, funding immigration enforcement, and deporting criminal immigrants in the country illegally, according to his campaign website. He also supports:

  • Defending Second Amendment rights and opposing restrictions on firearms,
  • A "100% pro-life" position, including defunding Planned Parenthood,
  • Reducing costs through tax cuts, deregulation, and expanded domestic energy production; and
  • Holding China accountable and reducing U.S. dependence on Chinese goods.

The Money Behind the Race

Through July 15, Cleaver had raised about $1.3 million and had about $1.1 million in the bank, roughly five times as much cash as Brattin, who had raised about $332,000 and had about $223,000 on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

Outside groups have spent about $986,000 supporting Brattin and about $1.2 million opposing him, according to outside spending records; Win It Back PAC is the largest single spender in the race, accounting for about $960,000 of the support side, while Conservatives for American Excellence Inc. accounts for all of the opposition spending against him.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Democratic as of Oct. 19; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Cleaver, a 96.23% chance of winning as of Oct. 20.

Cleaver carried the district with about 61% in 2022 and about 60% in 2024, a decline of less than one percentage point between the two cycles. Republicans won six of the state's eight U.S. House seats in 2022, and Democrats won the other two. Donald Trump carried Missouri in the 2024 presidential election with about 58% of the vote.

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