Ron Richard



Ronald F. "Ron" Richard (July 4, 1947 – June 9, 2023) was an American politician from the state of Missouri. A Republican, Richard served in the Missouri House of Representatives, including as Speaker of the House before being elected to the State Senate in 2010. He is the first speaker to later be elected Missouri senator in more than 100 years, the first in Missouri's history to serve as top leader in both houses of his state's legislature, and the fifth person in United States history to do such.

Quotes

 * I’m pretty serious about what I’m doing. I’m not as unapproachable as many would say and I’m not as grumpy (as they would say), (but I get) a little frustrated sometimes with the lobbyists and bureaucrats, (and) if they’d let us do our jobs we’d be a lot better off. I’m a little older than most in this building, and with social media this whole thing has changed. We’ve got so many (Senate) members that are glued to their phones and the perception of what people are saying about them, rather than just doing their business and their job. I’m walking down the hallway and I get a few people run into me because they’re too busy looking on their cell phones, and I’ll chastise them and tell them to pay attention to what you’re doing.
 * Ron Richard denies being a ‘grumpy old man,’ but says he’s serious about running the Missouri Senate (January 4, 2016)


 * When I was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2002, I was part of a group of lawmakers who brought common-sense, conservative principals back to Missouri. As I reflect on my time in the State Capitol, I am proud of the legislation my fellow lawmakers and I have passed. I firmly believe our efforts positively impacted the lives of all Missourians. From day one in the State Capitol, my goal has been job creation. I firmly believe a good job empowers all Missourians to reach their full potential.
 * 2018: An Opportunity to Finish What I Started (January 8, 2018)