Electric company owner challenges Stephens for House seat

Rich Horton

Mike Stephens

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The owner of Springfield-based Horton Electric Service Co. LLC announced his bid for the 128th District seat in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Rich Horton, of Brighton, plans to run this year as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Mike Stephens, the owner of Stephens Pharmacy Inc. in Bolivar. Stephens was elected in 2016. The 128th District seat covers Polk County and a large portion of Cedar County, according to a news release.

“After watching the legislature continue to fail those without a voice in Jefferson City, I would like to be an advocate for them,” Horton said in the release. “The idea that we would not fully fund our K-12 schools while also cutting funding to higher education is abhorrent to me.

“If we want businesses from outside the state to invest in more, good-paying jobs in Missouri, those businesspeople want to know there will be quality public schools for their children to attend.”

Horton founded Horton Electric Service, which does commercial and residential work, in 2003 and has grown it to 20 employees, according to the release.

Horton has not yet filed his campaign with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Stephens, who’s the only politician listed for the 128th District seat, had $24,247 in cash on hand in his January quarterly report with the MEC.