Cape Girardeau city councilman announces General Assembly bid

Nate Thomas, Ward 3 Cape Girardeau city councilman, has become the third GOP hopeful seeking to fill the vacant District 147 seat in the state House.

Thomas, 39, joins real estate brokerage owner Elaine Edgar and former Cape Girardeau city councilman John Voss in seeking the Republican nomination in the Aug. 2 primary.

District 147, covering the City of Cape Girardeau, has been without representation since Jan. 2, when Wayne Wallingford officially resigned to become the state's Department of Revenue director.

Thomas filed his candidacy Monday afternoon, just a day before the official filing period closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Andy Leighton is the only announced Democratic aspirant for Wallingford's former seat.

Rationale

Thomas said he has given thought to running since Wallingford joined Gov. Mike Parson's cabinet.

"Given the uncertain political and economic times we're in now, I felt a pull inside me that now was my time to throw my hat in the ring," said Thomas, a Saint Francis Healthcare System physical therapist.

"It was a family decision to run. We talked it through and prayed on it. I can use my skill sets for the benefit of Cape citizens. It was something I couldn't walk away from," he added.

Brief bio

Thomas is a graduate of Perryville, Missouri's St. Vincent dePaul High School, later earning a bachelor's degree from Knox College and a master's degree and doctorate in physical therapy from Emory University in Atlanta.

The candidate also served in governmental relations as a federal policy expert for the American Physical Therapy Association in Washington, D.C. Thomas moved back to Missouri in 2011.

Cape Girardeau Council

In September 2019, Thomas was appointed to serve the unexpired term of then-City Councilman Victor Gunn, who had moved outside the bounds of Ward 3.

Thomas won a full four-year term in June 2020.

Skill set

Thomas notes his current council role as a decision-maker for the city's $60 million annual budget will be valuable in making money decisions in Jefferson City.

"I believe in finding innovative ways to prevent the hard-earned money of citizens from being increasingly shelled out to the hands of Big Government in taxes," Thomas stated in a news release.

"With my policy background at the federal, state and local levels, the learning curve lag will be greatly reduced should I be elected to serve the 147th District. I can get to work on day one making a positive impact for Cape Girardeau," he added.