The Missouri legislature made history Wednesday as Republicans elected the first Asian-American speaker of the House and the first woman to be president pro tem of the state Senate.

In the House, state Rep. Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, won an overwhelming victory over a challenger from within the Republican conference, state Rep. Justin Sparks. Patterson was helped to the 152-10 victory by votes from minority Democrats.

The new leader of the Missouri House spent part of his first official day cleaning up messes left by his scandal-plagued predecessor. Within hours of being sworn in, House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican,

Republican state Rep. Jon Patterson, of Lee's Summit, makes Missouri history as the first Asian American Speaker of the House after a slight hiccup in the voting process. The Missouri House of Representatives and Senate met Wednesday in its first day of session of 2025.