State Rep. Chris Dinkins announces bid for Missouri Senate

A state representative has announced her candidacy for the District 27 state Senate seat.

Rep. Chris Dinkins, a Republican from Lesterville who represents District 144 in the state House, said "an overwhelming outpouring of support" during an exploratory period prompted her to seek the seat.

“For the last eight months I have traveled county to county, city to city, speaking with voters in their communities and on their doorsteps about the issues important to them and my vision for our state,” she said in a release. “After extensive polling conducted this month showing us in, we know our message has resonated with voters, and I look forward to earning their support and vote over the next several months.”

State Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder holds the seat now. She is running for lieutenant governor.

State Rep. Jamie Burger and Jacob Turner, both Republicans, have announced their intention to run for the seat as well.

District 27 covers seven counties — Reynolds, Iron, Madison, Bollinger, Perry, Cape Girardeau and Scott.

A native of Wayne County and a former public school teacher, Dinkins and her husband, Dave, have two sons and are small-business owners who live in Reynolds County. During her legislative career, she has earned a "Conservative Achievement Award" from CPAC/American Conservative Union and has previously earned endorsements from Missouri Right to Life and favorable ratings from National Rifle Association and Missouri Farm Bureau. She has sponsored legislation to eliminate sales tax on groceries and supported a freeze on property taxes for senior citizens.

“My commitment to service was instilled in me by my father and grandfather, both Army veterans, who taught my siblings and I the dignity of hard work from a young age,” she said.

For more information about Dinkins, visit www.ChrisDinkins.com.