Overview
- Graves, 62, disclosed Friday that he will withdraw his 2026 filing and retire at the end of this term.
- With the March 31 cutoff near, Republicans expect a crowded primary in the strongly GOP 6th District, with state Rep. Mazzie Christenson weighing a bid and Kansas City councilman Nathan Willett discussed as a possible entrant.
- The long-serving lawmaker chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and says he will push air-traffic control modernization and work on this year’s highway bill before departing.
- Graves previously secured a GOP waiver to keep leading the transportation panel despite term limits, underscoring the influence his exit removes from the committee.
- His move adds to a broader wave of more than 50 House departures this cycle, raising the stakes for party control as local consultants and donors mobilize to shape the Missouri race.