Bryant Wolfin makes second bid for General Assembly, District 145

Businessman Bryant Wolfin of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, is making a second bid for the state Legislature — this time running for the 2024 GOP nomination for House District 145, which must be vacated by incumbent term-limited Perryville Republican Rep. Rick Francis.

Wolfin previously ran for state General Assembly in 2020, when Ste. Genevieve was in District 116.

In that contest, the former Ste. Genevieve alderman lost to primary incumbent Dale Wright by a vote of 59% to 41%.

A redistricting plan OK'd in January 2022 by House Independent Bipartisan Citizens Commission put Wolfin's hometown into District 145.

"We did pretty well in 2020 running against an incumbent, and afterward, I had a bad taste in my mouth about how the political side of things worked. Frankly, at that time, I had called my political career 'retired'," said Wolfin, 32. "I found I couldn't sit idle with what was happening at the state and federal level and I began to engage with local clubs and organizations. Redistricting happening and Rick Francis terming out seemed like the timing couldn't have been better for me to reengage."

Wolfin and property management owner Dave Soto are the declared candidates to-date for District 145, which under the new map comprises Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties.

Background

Wolfin, who graduated with a business degree from Mineral Area College, owns BMW convenience stores in St. Mary and Fredericktown, Missouri. The BMW brand, unlike the German carmaker, stands for the first names of the candidate, his wife, Megan, and their jointly shared surname. Wolfin has also worked for Gilster-Mary Lee in Perry County and for Cape Girardeau's BioKyowa.

Positions

"I am a firm believer in (the nation's) founding principles, in minimalist government. I think government shouldn't be spending on non-essentials at all. As a society, we're very heavily taxed and the tax burden is very steep. In order to cut the burden back, we're going to have to actually become fiscally conservative and not just give lip service to excessive spending. Our Legislature has passed the largest state budget in Missouri history. We must cut the fat out of the state budget so working families and small businesses can keep more of their hard-earned money," Wolfin said, identifying expenditures on state parks and tourism as two specific areas of "fat" he would seek to cut, if elected.

"Government is only there to protect our rights (and) putting millions upon millions of dollars into community and sports facilities, in my opinion, is not a function of government."

Key issue

Wolfin, who identifies as a fiscal conservative and as a strict constructionist when it comes to the state constitution, said government spending is the main point of his campaign platform.

"I think it's no secret that government at all levels keeps expanding and wanting more of our tax money. We saw bloated budgets during the COVID years. My passion is to be a champion for liberty and small government. If a bill comes to the floor to make government smaller or enhances our individual liberties, such legislation will have my vote," he said.

Wolfin and his wife have three children.