By Ricky Dana, Candidate for U.S. House – Missouri’s 4th District
BREAKING MARK ALFORD BULLYING MISSOURI DESERVES BETTER
Mark Alford bullying isn’t new — and his latest words in Congress prove it. He said Trump should “give Democrats a taste of what we gave Zelenskyy.” In plain English: a made-for-TV humiliation instead of real governing. That may win a headline, but it won’t keep the government open or protect your health care.
PATTERN, NOT A ONE-OFF — long before Washington, the pattern of Mark Alford bullying was visible. During his Fox 4 Kansas City years, former coworkers described a toxic, divisive atmosphere, with accounts of colleagues being mocked on and off air to get a laugh. That approach isn’t leadership; it’s harm dressed up as entertainment.
FROM NEWSROOM TO CONGRESS
One of the most painful chapters involves Don Harman, a beloved meteorologist who later died by suicide. No one is saying Alford caused that tragedy, but many in Kansas City remember how ridicule and belittling were part of the culture around him. When people talk about Mark Alford bullying today, they’re recalling a history that predates Washington — and it matters because character doesn’t switch off when the camera does.
CONGRESS IS NOT REALITY TV
Missouri’s 4th District needs lawmakers who solve problems — not performers who chase viral clips. While families worry about health-insurance premiums, farm input costs, and the threat of a shutdown, Alford leans into insults and intimidation. That’s not leadership; that’s a distraction that wastes time our communities don’t have.
BOTTOM LINE Mark Alford bullying doesn’t lower a single medical bill, stabilize a single farm, or keep one paycheck safe during a shutdown. It divides neighbors and erodes trust across Saline, Boone, Cole — and across all 24 counties of Missouri’s 4th District.
WHY THIS MATTERS HERE
Our area is built on small towns, churches, co-ops, and family farms. We need respectful, results-driven representation that brings folks together to keep government running and protect health care. When an elected official thrives on humiliation, the people they’re supposed to serve pay the price — with higher stress, more division, and zero solutions.
Missourians know the difference between tough talk and real work. Real work is boring to bullies because it happens in late-night negotiations, bipartisan committees, and district listening sessions — not in viral clips. That’s exactly why the pattern of Mark Alford bullying is so dangerous: it substitutes spectacle for service.
WHAT LEADERSHIP SHOULD LOOK LIKE
Leadership means accountability, cooperation, and service. It means talking to people you disagree with, finding common ground to keep the government open, and focusing on the kitchen-table issues that actually matter: affordable health care, safe communities, good schools, and strong farm economies.
We can do better than bullying. We can choose results over stunts, respect over ridicule, and truth over theatrics. That’s how we strengthen our communities and pass down a better Missouri to our kids.
STAY INFORMED For ongoing coverage and verified sources, visit our campaign news hub: News You Should Know
Sources:
Kansas City Star (Entertainment)