Jamie Burger seeks to move up in Missouri House leadership

Rep. Jamie Burger of Benton, Missouri, was elected to state House leadership as assistant majority floor leader six months ago.

Now, Burger wants to move up -- announcing Tuesday, May 9, a bid for majority floor leader in the 163-member lower chamber of the General Assembly.

Rep. Jamie Burger, right, of Benton, Missouri, greets Gov, Mike Parson following Parson's State of the State Address to the General Assembly on Jan. 19, 2022.Submitted

Rep. Jamie Burger, right, of Benton, Missouri, greets Gov, Mike Parson following Parson's State of the State Address to the General Assembly on Jan. 19, 2022.Submitted

The former presiding chairman of the Scott County Commission, a longtime employee of ready mix concrete supplier Buzzi Unicem, was first elected to the House in 2020.

Burger told "This Week in Missouri Politics" that he is "all in" for running for the job currently held by Rep. Jon Patterson of Lee's Summit, Missouri.

"I don't think the Senate is a good fit for me, (but) I think I have a pathway to be majority floor leader in the House," Burger told the online Missouri Times newspaper.

In a follow-up interview with the Southeast Missourian, Burger said he thinks Patterson, who represents House District 30, may run for speaker of the House.

The job of a majority floor leader is to control the order of business of the House chamber.

The current session of the Missouri Legislature is due to adjourn Friday, May 12.