Mark Alford

For the physicist, see Mark Alford (physicist).

Mark Allen Alford Sr. (born October 4, 1963) is an American politician and former television news anchor serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Mark Alford
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Vicky Hartzler
Personal details
Born	(1963-10-04) October 4, 1963 (age 61) Baytown, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Leslie Adkins ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	3
Education	Lee College Texas State University University of Texas, Austin (attended)
Website	House website Campaign website

Early life and career

Alford Sr. was born in Baytown, Texas.^[1][2] He attended Sterling High School and the University of Texas at Austin, but left college without graduating.^[3]

Alford Sr. worked for KPRC-TV in Houston as a reporter and weekend anchor for News 2 Houston from 1995 and 1998. Before that, he was anchor for KDFW-TV in Dallas and a reporter with WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach; KWTX-TV in Waco; and KXAN-TV in Austin.^[4] In 1998, he went to WDAF-TV in Kansas City as an anchor for Fox 4 News and stayed there for 23 years. He announced his resignation on October 8, 2021.^[5]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

See also: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 4

On October 27, 2021, Alford Sr. announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Missouri's 4th congressional district as a Republican in the 2022 elections.^[6][7] He won the Republican nomination in the August 2 primary election^[8] and won the November 8 general election.^[9]

Tenure

Alford Sr. was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.^[10]

He voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.^[11][12]

Alford supported the 2025 United States federal mass layoffs, telling fired federal employees at an event in Belton, Missouri that "God has a plan and purpose for your life."^[13]

Alford supported proposed tariffs on Canadian trade, arguing that he and American consumers are willing to accept higher costs to "get America right again."^[14]

Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:^[15]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
  • Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (Vice Chair)
  • Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations (Chairman)

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Western Caucus^[16]

Personal life

Alford Sr. and his wife, Leslie, have three children, Mark Allen Alford Jr., Alexandria Naomi Francis, and Spencer "Jasper" Adkins Alford.^[17] They live in Lake Winnebago, a suburb of Kansas City. Alford is a member of Evangel Church, an Assemblies of God megachurch in Kansas City.