Power Profile: Ed Lewis, Missouri State Representative

Representative Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, knows he has a finite amount of time in the Missouri State Capitol due to term limits. His focus as a representative of his community, which encompasses Macon and Randolph counties, is to do what he can and go to bat for his constituents. Contrary to the stereotype, he has no intentions of using his time as an elected official to springboard to other opportunities.

“It is not about me. It is about what I can do for the state,” Lewis said. “Hopefully, when I leave, I will have made a positive difference and continued to help Missouri thrive.”

Lewis was elected to his first two-year term in 2020 and subsequently reelected in 2022. Prior to serving in the Legislature, he worked as a high school educator for 32 years in Vandalia and Moberly teaching chemistry and physics.

His background in education has been good preparation for his current role as a lawmaker.

“You have a lot of negotiating and talking to other people to convince them to support your legislation. You have to have the ability to work together. Those are skills that you learn at school as a teacher,” Lewis said.

This session, his priorities include education, the initiative petition process and property rights. Lewis emphasizes the importance of hiring and retaining quality teachers, and he has sponsored numerous bills regarding teacher salaries and other education-related legislation. He would also like to ensure any constitutional amendment added to the ballot through the initiative petition process truly represents the will of Missourians.

Another high-priority issue for Lewis is protecting the property rights of his constituents and those across the state. With new transportation and transmission lines coming through the state, Lewis wants them built where right-of-ways already exist when possible.

“Transmission lines are important. We need them in our modern society. And we need transmission lines that are going to improve the reliability of our energy grid,” Lewis said. “In my mind, new transmission lines should be owned and operated by utility companies within the state, and those transmission lines should be co-located where there already are easements owned by utilities within the state.”

“I don’t want the property rights of my constituents to be abridged. Their property should stay their property,” Lewis said. “I don't think out-of-state entities should be able to take any property within the state of Missouri.”

All his priority topic areas go back to his goal of helping Missouri thrive and continue to be a great place to live. Born and raised in the Show-Me State, Lewis is passionate about his community and his state — it is, after all, where his children and grandchildren live. “Missourians have the best life, it's a place where people can live and work and raise their children and grandchildren.”