Elijah Haahr

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Elijah Haahr

|image = Elijah Haahr - SBD - Federalist Society - Missouri-12 (49450663618) (cropped).jpg

|office = Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives

|term_start = November 1, 2018

|term_end = January 6, 2021

|predecessor = Todd Richardson

|successor = Rob Vescovo

|office1 = Speaker pro tempore of the Missouri House of Representatives

|term_start1 = January 4, 2017

|term_end1 = November 1, 2018

|predecessor1 = Denny Hoskins

|successor1 = John Wiemann

|state_house2 = Missouri

|district2 = 134th

|term_start2 = January 9, 2013

|term_end2 = January 6, 2021

|predecessor2 = Thomas Long

|successor2 = Alex Riley

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|5|28}}

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|children = 4

|education = Ozarks Technical Community College (AA)
Missouri Western State University (BA)
University of Missouri (JD)

}}

Elijah J. L. Haahr (born May 28, 1982) is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, for the 134th district from 2013 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party.{{cite web|title=Elijah Haahr|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/139266/elijah-haahr#.V-dDAZMrL_Q|publisher=Project Vote Smart|access-date=April 27, 2015}}

Early life and education

Haahr grew up in southwest Missouri. He attended Ozarks Technical Community College and was a member of the National Dean's List and Phi Theta Kappa. After graduating from OTC with honors in 2002, Haahr received an academic scholarship to attend Missouri Western State University. He graduated cum laude from MWSU in 2005. He then attended the University of Missouri School of Law on academic scholarship and graduated with honors in 2008. At MU, he served as editor in chief of the Environmental Law Review and represented MU at the regional level in mock trial and moot court competitions.

Career

Haahr is an attorney with Kutak Rock and focuses on product liability and personal injury. He is licensed to practice in Missouri and Oklahoma.{{cite web|url=http://house.mo.gov/bio.aspx?year=2017&district=134 |title=Missouri House of Representatives |publisher=House.mo.gov |access-date=2017-10-20}}

During his time in the Missouri House of Representatives, Haahr chaired the Emerging Issues Committee and served as Speaker Pro Tem. In September 2017, he was elected to serve as Speaker of House starting in January 2019. He is the only Speaker in Missouri history from Springfield.

In 2019, Haahr spoke in favor of a criminal justice reform measure to undo mandatory minimum sentencing laws for nonviolent offenders and give judges the discretion to determine sentencing on the basis of the offender's character, rehabilitation prospects and threat to society.{{Cite web|url=http://abcstlouis.com/news/local/missouri-house-plan-would-undo-mandatory-minimum-sentences-for-some-nonviolent-offenses|title=Missouri House plan would undo "mandatory minimum" sentences for some nonviolent offenses|author=DAVID A. LIEB|agency=Associated Press|date=2019-01-14|website=KDNL|access-date=2019-01-15}}

In 2019, he spoke in favor of overturning voter-approved redistricting rules whereby a nonpartisan state demographer, with the 70% approval of a citizen commission, would re-draw legislative districts every year. The rules also included requirements that the districts be drawn to make them competitive. According to an Associated Press analysis, those rules would likely reduce the Republican Party's supermajorities in the Missouri General Assembly.{{Cite news|url=https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article238586163.html|title=Missouri GOP vows to move quickly to change redistricting process during 2020 session|date=2019|work=Kansas City Star}}

Electoral history

=State representative=

{{Election box begin no change | title =2018 General Election for Missouri's 134th District House of Representatives{{cite web | url=https://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/?eid=750004333 | title=State of Missouri - Election Night Results }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elijah Haahr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 8,703

| percentage = 56.95

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Derrick Nowlin

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 6,575

| percentage = 43.04

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 15,278

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title =2018 Primary Election for Missouri's 134th District House of Representatives{{cite web | url=https://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx?eid=750004535 | title=State of Missouri - Election Night Results }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elijah Haahr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 3,069

| percentage = 74.45

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Daniel Romine

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,053

| percentage = 25.55

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 4,122

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title =2016 General Election for Missouri's 134th District House of Representatives{{cite web | url=http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx?eid=750003949 | title=State of Missouri - Election Night Results }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elijah Haahr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 9,901

| percentage = 58.40

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Angela Dowler Pryor

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 6,313

| percentage = 37.23

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Daniel A. Romine

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| votes = 741

| percentage = 4.37

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 16,955

| percentage= 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title =2014 General Election for Missouri's 134th District House of Representatives{{cite web | url=http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx | title=State of Missouri - Election Night Results }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elijah Haahr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 5,214

| percentage = 64.19

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Kevin Knox

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 2,909

| percentage = 35.81

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 8,123

| percentage= 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title =2012 General Election for Missouri's 134th District House of Representatives{{cite web | url=http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx?eid=750002497 | title=State of Missouri - Election Night Results }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elijah Haahr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 9,227

| percentage = 56.04

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = James M. Owen

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 7,239

| percentage = 43.96

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 16,466

| percentage= 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=2012 Primary Election for Missouri's 134th District House of Representatives{{cite web | url=https://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx?eid=750002299 | title=State of Missouri - Election Night Results }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elijah Haahr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 2,186

| percentage = 56.57

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = John Sellars

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 1,678

| percentage = 43.43

}}