Wallingford well after surgery, looking forward to returning to Missouri House

Wayne Wallingford celebrated his election as Missouri’s new House District 147 representative in an unexpected location Tuesday.

Wallingford of Cape Girardeau received a kidney transplant the day before at Saint Louis University Hospital.

“I had been on a waiting list (for a transplant) for a year-and-a-half and it just so happened a kidney became available this week,” said Wallingford, 74.

Wallingford was term-limited out of the Missouri Senate District 27 seat he’s held for eight years and sought to return to the General Assembly’s lower chamber, where he had previously served two years.

The ex-Vietnam military pilot defeated Democratic challenger and political newcomer, Andy Leighton, 63% to 37%.

Wallingford will succeed Kathy Swan in the House, who was similarly term-limited.

In August, Swan lost a Republican primary race to succeed Wallingford, being defeated by Holly Rehder by a razor-thin margin.

Rehder will succeed Wallingford at the start of the next legislative term.

“I’m real excited to go to the House,” said Wallingford, saying his extensive knowledge of the upper chamber will make him “an ambassador” of sorts.

“I can help with the process of moving legislation into the Senate, plus I know the people over there pretty well,” he added.

Parson’s election

Wallingford said he was glad to see Mike Parson win a gubernatorial term in his own right, after having finished out Eric Greitens’ term following the latter’s sudden resignation in June 2018.

“(Parson) listens and understands and doesn’t approach things with preconceived ideas or an agenda,” said Wallingford, who intends to spend some time post-surgery recuperating at his Jefferson City residence for a short while.

“Our home in Cape has steps and the one in the capital doesn’t, so Jeff City is a better place for me to rest up right now,” he added.

GOP in control

The state Senate, the body Wallingford is leaving, saw 10 Republicans and seven Democrats win Tuesday.

The Missouri House, assuming all unofficial results become final, will have 114 Republicans and 49 Democrats come January.

“I would normally say that kind of an edge in (the General Assembly) gives us a good chance of overturning a governor’s veto, but that won’t be much of a problem with a GOP governor,” Wallingford admitted.

Wallingford said he is pleased with Parson’s cooperation with the legislature thus far.

“I think we’ve sent (Parson) 48 bills and he signed all but two,” said Wallingford, who himself has a total of 10 years of experience in the Missouri Legislature.

Amendments

Wallingford said he had no real opinion on Amendment No. 1, the initiative to extend terms limits to multiple state offices.

Statewide, Missourians defeated the proposal by a 52%-48% margin, although the plebiscite passed by a margin of 240 votes in Cape Girardeau County.

Amendment No. 3, dealing with redistricting, passed by a narrower 51%-49% margin, although it won Cape Girardeau County support by 62%-38%.

The veteran lawmaker pronounced himself pleased at the outcome.

“Three is definitely good for Missouri, returning the power to redraw legislative districts to an equal number of Republicans and Democrats,” he added.

Presidential race

“It doesn’t look good for the president right now,” said Wallingford, acknowledging President Donald Trump was behind in the still-being-counted Electoral College tally Wednesday afternoon.

Wallingford, a Trump supporter, said a Democratic administration in Washington, if it happens, will undoubtedly mean higher taxes and more regulations for Missourians.

“I know people frown on the president’s personality,” he said, adding, “We’re not electing somebody to date your daughter, we’re choosing someone because of their policies.”

The federal response to COVID aside, Wallingford is clear on what he thinks of the incumbent.

“(Trump’s) policies are excellent,” he said.