Neal Gist

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Neal Gist

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 4, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Houston, Texas

Religion

Christian

Contact

Campaign website

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Neal Gist (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 4th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on August 4, 2020.

Gist completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Neal Gist was born in Houston, Texas. His career experience includes working in the software engineering and digital media production industries.

Elections

2020

See also: Missouri's 4th Congressional District election, 2020

Missouri's 4th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Republican primary)

Missouri's 4th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Missouri District 4

Incumbent Vicky Hartzler defeated Lindsey Simmons and Steven Koonse in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vicky Hartzler (R)	67.6	245,247
		Lindsey Simmons (D)	29.7	107,635
		Steven Koonse (L)	2.7	9,954

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 362,836
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4

Lindsey Simmons advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lindsey Simmons	100.0	38,339

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 38,339
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Erich Arvidson (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4

Incumbent Vicky Hartzler defeated Neal Gist in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vicky Hartzler	76.6	80,652
		Neal Gist	23.4	24,646

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 105,298
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4

Steven Koonse defeated Robert E. Smith in the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steven Koonse	53.0	357
		Robert E. Smith	47.0	316

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 673
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Neal Gist completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gist's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Neal Gist, U.S. Congressional candidate for Missouri's 4th District. I am an uncompromising defender of the Constitution and the sacred tenets of life, liberty, and property.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Our elected representatives have failed to address the out-of-control government spending and debt accumulation. We must balance our budget and begin paying off our debt immediately!
• Power continues to consolidate into the federal government and executive branch at an alarming rate. I will strive to restore that power back to the people and the states they live in.
• I will fight for the virtues of capitalism and defend it against the rising threat of socialism on economic, historical, philosophical, and ethical grounds.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I began this campaign because our federal government has mutated into an unrecognizable monstrosity, a shadow of its former republic. Many of our Republican elected representatives speak of conservatism but are little more than red Democrats-big government, big spending politicians. I believe it is our duty as American patriots to run for office, remove these career politicians, and restore authority to the constitution.

My dive into politics begin in 2012 when I joined the campaign to elect Congressman Ron Paul for President. I was motivated by my background in economics and out of hope that America might address the monetary issues that threatened our prominence as a world power. Today, as a U.S. Congressional candidate, I seek to address this threat directly in Washington D.C. and restore fiscal conservatism to the federal government.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have great admiration for our founding fathers who had a unique opportunity to seize power but instead created the greatest constitutional republic in the history of civilization. Thomas Jefferson is my favorite founding father. More modern role models include Dr. Jordan Peterson, Dr. Ron Paul, Thomas Sowell, and Ben Shapiro.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Conservative economists and the Austrian School of Economics - Ludwig Von Mises, Murray Rothbard, Ron Paul, Thomas Sowell, Friedrich Hayek, Frederic Bastiat

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The embodiment of the underlying principals in which our Constitution was derived: life, liberty and property. An understanding of the brilliance in a small, limited government is also paramount.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My devotion to the cause of liberty and limited government is uncompromising. My oath to defend the constitution will be steadfast, come what may. I have no faith in these elected politicians and unelected bureaucrats to defend our republic. My resolve will make me a successful officeholder and coalition builder.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To uphold one's oath: Defend the Constitution, no matter what. As a representative it is also my responsibility to serve my constituents and their needs as Missourians.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I first started working for Chick-Fil-A when I was 14 years old. Shortly after I began my career in software engineering and digital media, which I have been involved with for 16 years now.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Toss A Coin To Your Witcher" was a embedded in my brain for way too long...

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Our founding fathers envisioned a House of Representatives that was routinely occupied by normal citizens in short spurts, who would serve their term(s) then return to their vocation. The career politicians that have become mainstream threaten our republic and continue to erode our constitutional liberties for the sake of re-election and the accumulation of personal wealth and power. No, I don't advocate for political experience in our representatives.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our exponentially increasing national debt and annual spending deficit are the greatest threat to America, its citizens, our national security, and our prominence as a great world power. The removal of the debt ceiling and the constant increases in spending is a bi-partisan pursuit that will inevitably extract a reckoning.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

It's going to take a lot more than committee participation to address the overwhelming spending addiction Washington D.C. suffers. But I will serve wherever I can to make a positive difference, big or small.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

This must happen as soon as possible. The current representatives are more inclined to vote themselves a pay increase than limits to their terms which is why it is very important normal citizens answer the call and run for office. As a representative of Missouri, I respect our statewide term limits and look to it as a model for the federal government.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Dr. Ron Paul, though I am my own man.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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Footnotes

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Missouri's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Josh Hawley (R)

Eric Schmitt (R)

Representatives

District 1

Wesley Bell (D)

District 2

Ann Wagner (R)

District 3

Bob Onder (R)

District 4

Mark Alford (R)

District 5

Emanuel Cleaver (D)

District 6

Sam Graves (R)

District 7

Eric Burlison (R)

District 8

Jason Smith (R)

Republican Party (8)

Democratic Party (2)