JEFFERSON—Missouri lawmakers marked the first day of the 2025 legislative session Wednesday by electing Rep. Dr. Jon Patterson, R-Lee's Summit, as the next House Speaker in a decisive 152-10 vote, ending an upstart bid by State Rep. Justin Sparks of Wildwood.

Democrats nominated Rep. Ashley Aune of Platte County for the post, but in a speech signaling her support for Patterson despite their disagreements on issues, declined the nomination.

Patterson has been Speaker-Designate since September of 2023 by a vote of the House GOP caucus. Sparks challenged Patterson in part because he felt GOP leadership hadn’t done enough to stop Amendment 3, the constitutional amendment approved by voters to restore abortion rights. Before election day last fall, Patterson said the state’s existing near-total ban on abortion wasn’t working for the state and that the will of the voters should be respected.

In the days and weeks leading up to Wednesday’s vote, Sparks, a member of the Missouri Freedom Caucus who also sought reforms to decentralize the power of the speaker’s office, billed the speaker’s election as “a reckoning” for his party in a series of social media videos.

Patterson, who became the first Asian-American Speaker of the Missouri House and the first member from Jackson County in more than 150 years, addressed the body after his election.

“Will we be remembered for our accomplishments and all that we did for Missourians or will we be remembered for for playing politics and what we did on Facebook. I submit to you that we should commit to doing the serious work of the people,” he said

On Amendment 3, Patterson said lawmakers must clarify its provisions “and make Missouri the most pro-life state it can be,” while also pledging an agenda that starts with reforms to the state’s foster care system, a focus on pediatric mental health, child care affordability and efforts to recruit and retain law enforcement.

The latter is expected to be a key component of the incoming Kehoe administration's focus on public safety.

Sparks shared a statement with Spectrum News responding to Wednesday’s vote.

“Today we saw something that hasn’t happened in a very long time.  Ten members of the House stood against the status quo and did what their constituents asked them to do - vote to decentralize the power of the Speaker and send it back to where it belongs - The People. And it was on the record.”

In the Missouri Senate, there was another barrier broken, as Sen. Cindy O'Laughlin, R-Shelbina, became the first woman to serve as President Pro Tem in the body. 

Republicans retained supermajorities in both chambers after the November election.