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| Missouri Governor Mike Parson | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mike Parson |
| Office | Governor of Missouri |
| Term start | June 1, 2018 |
| Predecessor | Eric Greitens |
| Birth date | July 17, 1955 |
| Birth place | Gouveneur, Missouri |
| Party | Republican Party (United States) |
| Spouse | Teresa Parson |
| Alma mater | Missouri State University |
Missouri Governor Mike Parson Mike Parson is an American politician and law enforcement veteran who has served as the Governor of Missouri since 2018. Parson previously held elected office in the Missouri Senate and as Lieutenant Governor of Missouri before ascending to the governorship following the resignation of Eric Greitens. His tenure has intersected with national figures and institutions including Donald Trump, the Republican Party (United States), and federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Parson was born in Gouveneur, Missouri, near Cedar County, Missouri, and raised in a rural family with ties to Warrensburg, Missouri and Sedalia, Missouri. He attended Bolivar (Missouri) High School and later studied at Missouri State University, where he pursued programs linked to Jefferson City, Missouri regional training and state-level public service networks. His upbringing in southwestern Missouri connected him to communities in Christian County, Missouri, Polk County, Missouri, and adjacent Greenwood, Missouri and informed his later engagement with local institutions like Missouri State Highway Patrol-adjacent academies and county-level organizations.
Parson began his professional life in law enforcement, serving as a patrol officer and later as sheriff in Polk County, Missouri. His career intersected with statewide law enforcement entities such as the Missouri Sheriffs' Association and regional criminal justice actors in Springfield, Missouri. He worked alongside local prosecutors in Dade County, Missouri and coordinated with county commissions and judicial officers in circuits tied to Bolivar, Missouri. During this period he engaged with federal programs connected to agencies headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri and St. Louis, Missouri.
Elected to the Missouri Senate in 2010, Parson represented a district encompassing parts of Polk County, Missouri, Webster County, Missouri, and neighboring jurisdictions. In Jefferson City he served on committees that interfaced with statewide entities such as the Missouri Department of Corrections, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and oversight bodies linked to the Missouri State Treasurer and the Secretary of State of Missouri. His legislative work intersected with high-profile Missouri lawmakers including members from the Missouri House of Representatives and state party leaders aligned with the Republican National Committee.
In 2016 Parson was elected Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, serving alongside Governor Eric Greitens until 2018. In that role he undertook duties involving the Missouri Senate presidency pro tempore functions and represented Missouri at events with national figures such as Mike Pence, Tim Kaine, and representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture and United States Department of the Interior on matters affecting rural Missouri. His tenure connected him with intergovernmental interactions involving the United States Congress delegation from Missouri and state-level appointments coordinated with the Governor of Missouri's office.
Parson became governor on June 1, 2018, after the resignation of Eric Greitens, navigating crises that included floods affecting the Mississippi River corridor and public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. He coordinated state response through agencies such as the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and engaged with federal partners including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Parson's administration has interacted with governors from other states including Greg Abbott of Texas, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Kay Ivey of Alabama on regional initiatives and interstate compacts.
Parson's policy portfolio includes positions on taxation, agriculture, criminal justice, and public health, working with state institutions like the Missouri General Assembly, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and the University of Missouri System. He has signed legislation affecting Second Amendment to the United States Constitution-related debates, collaborated with advocacy organizations such as the National Rifle Association, and pursued initiatives with business groups including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and agricultural organizations like the Missouri Farm Bureau. Parson's administration has also addressed transportation priorities with the Missouri Department of Transportation and infrastructure funding tools linked to federal programs overseen by the United States Department of Transportation.
Parson's electoral history includes contests for Polk County, Missouri sheriff, election to the Missouri Senate, the 2016 lieutenant governor race, and gubernatorial campaigns including the 2020 election cycle where he ran as the incumbent against candidates endorsed by national actors such as Joe Biden and allies of Donald Trump. His campaigns have engaged fundraising networks connected to the Republican Party (United States), political action committees registered with the Federal Election Commission, and grassroots organizations operating in counties across southwest Missouri and the Ozarks.
Parson is married to Teresa Parson and has two children; his family life has been featured in local media outlets in Bolivar, Missouri and Springfield, Missouri. He has received recognition from state organizations including honors from the Missouri Sheriffs' Association and awards presented at events hosted by entities such as the Missouri Cattlemen's Association and regional chambers of commerce. Parson maintains ties to faith communities and civic groups in communities like Bolivar, Missouri and participates in initiatives with nonprofit partners including chapters of Habitat for Humanity and local veterans' organizations.
Category:Governors of Missouri Category:1955 births Category:Living people