JEFFERSON CITY — A former Speaker of the Missouri House will once again appear daily in the media — this time not as a subject, but a host.
Former Speaker Elijah Haahr, a Springfield Republican who led the House for two legislative sessions before he termed out in 2021, kicked off his new radio show on KWTO 93.3 FM on Monday.
“The Elijah Haahr Show” will air weekdays 4-6 p.m. and feature “local information and interviews, politics, finances and entertainment” from Haahr, who was the first Springfield lawmaker to be elected speaker.
In the first episode aired Monday, Haahr pledged to talk politics and life “from a conservative viewpoint,” and pledged to stay away from speaking about the government when possible.
“One of the things about being a conservative is that your life is not built around the government,” Haahr said. “The best things in your life are your family, going to church, going to vacation, watching sports, entertainment, things like that.”
His first week’s worth of guests will include national school choice activist Corey DeAngelis, Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, recent Springfield Public Schools board election winner Kelly Byrne and mid-Missouri congressional candidate Taylor Burks.
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Haahr plans to have a daily question he’ll ask all his guests. Monday’s was whether they would continue to support Disney after the company became embroiled in discussion surrounding a Florida bill that would restrict classroom discussions of gender and sexuality. He also asked whether they believe boycotts generally are effective.
Haahr is the second former Missouri House speaker to join the Ozarks station. Tim Jones, a St. Louis-area lawmaker who held the role from 2012-2015, hosts Wake Up Springfield with Tim Jones weekdays from 5:30-9 a.m. The station touted its programming as “one Speaker of the House for the drive to work, and one for the drive home” prior to the show Monday.
The jump from the Capitol to the radio waves represents one of several routes lawmakers in Missouri choose to take in the era of term limits.
Others remain in Jefferson City to use their connections and legislative know-how to lobby (after a brief cool-off period); others join consulting or other executive positions. Haahr also serves as executive director of Noble Health Foundation.
Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.
