Missouri GOP rejects Rep. Tricia Derges' re-election paperwork; attorney demands meeting

JEFFERSON CITY — A Nixa lawmaker facing federal charges is demanding state party leaders meet with her and her attorney face-to-face, after the GOP rejected her application to file for re-election as a Republican.

The Missouri Republican State Committee rejected re-election paperwork last week from Rep. Tricia Derges of Nixa, who has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges and is awaiting a June trial. The committee cited the pending federal charges as the reason for the rejection.

In a letter sent to party chairman Nick Myers on Monday, Derges' attorney Al Watkins argued that the rejection was hypocritical, pointing to the party's allowance of other candidates, including former Gov. Eric Greitens, who have faced civil or criminal investigations and charges.

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"At the same time, the committee has seen fit to permit the candidacy under the Republican banner of a previously elected statewide official whose tenure was marred by a criminal indictment and prematurely terminated by means of resignation," Watkins wrote.

Watkins also cited Rep. Chad Perkins of Bowling Green, who has been accused of having sex with a drunk woman while on duty as a police officer, and Mark McCloskey, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge after pointing a firearm at protesters outside his home in 2020.

"The repudiation of Rep. Derges' re-election paperwork with the Republican Party is not just arbitrary and capricious, it also serves as a wildly dangerous precedent," Watkins wrote. "Imagine, if former President (Donald) Trump seeks re-election, would the committee decline to permit him to run as a Republican in the State of Missouri?"

Watkins requested to meet in person with party leadership to "avoid the inevitable (perhaps unforeseen and unintended) collateral damage associated with a public airing of the issue."

The party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Derges is planning to file for the 140th district representing Christian County, her attorney told the News-Leader. She said when reached by phone last week that she still planned to file to run for another term. As of Monday afternoon, Republican Jamie Ray Gragg and Democrat Amy Freeland had filed to run for the seat.

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Earlier this month, Derges had her narcotics license put on probation by the state. She is accused of selling fake stem cell treatments, fraudulently using pandemic aid, writing illegal prescriptions and lying to federal investigators.

The Nixa lawmaker was not alone in having her candidacy denied by party leadership. The Missouri Republican Party also rejected the filing fee of Steve West, a conservative radio host who had aimed to run for a Kansas City-area House seat. He once said "Hitler was right" and has frequently propagated conspiracy theories and misinformation. He ran in 2018 and 2020 and was defeated by his Democratic opponent.

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Derges asks to meet with GOP leaders after re-election filing denied