Nate Walker

Walker was raised in rural Macon County, Missouri near the small community of Anabel. In a 2013 interview with The Missouri Times, Walker stated his dream growing up was to either be President of the United States or a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.{{cite web|last=Jost|first=Ashley|url=http://themissouritimes.com/4700/five-questions-with-rep-nate-walker-r-kirksville/|title=Five questions with Rep. Nate Walker|publisher=The Missouri Times via website|date=18 June 2013|accessdate=19 June 2013}} Following graduation from Macon County R-1 high school in 1970 he attended the University of Missouri, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Journalism. Later he would earn a Master of Science in Community Affairs also from Mizzou. Walker would undertake post-graduate studies at Duke University and the Haus Rissen Institute of International Politics and Economics in Hamburg, Germany.

Throughout his career, Walker has alternately worked in both government and private sector. Putting his Agricultural Journalism degree to use, he previously owned and published The La Plata Home Press.{{cite web|url=http://www.friendsofnatewalker.com/Nate_Walker_for_State_Representative/About.html|title=About Nate|publisher=Friends of Nate Walker campaign website|year=2012|accessdate=11 November 2012}} Walker raised cattle on the family farm in Macon County as well. Governmental positions held by Walker during his career include:{{cite web|url=http://nemonews.net/2007/09/19/nate-walker-appointed-executive-director-of-nemorpc/|title=Nate Walker appointed Executive Director of NEMORPC|publisher=NemoNews.net|date=30 August 2007|accessdate=11 November 2012}}

• Director, Missouri Division of Highway Safety
• Director of administration, Missouri Attorney General's Office
• State rail planner, Missouri Department of Transportation
• Director of economic development, City of Boonville, Missouri
• Executive director, Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission

Other non-governmental leadership positions include:

• Director of operations, Missouri Automobile Dealers Association
• Director of development, Kemper Military School
• Executive director, Missouri Head Injury Association
• Executive director, Kirksville Downtown Improvement Committee (KDIC).{{cite web|last=Soroka|first=Ela|url=http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=615999|title=KDIC names new interim executive director|publisher=KTVO-V|date=10 May 2011|accessdate=11 November 2012}}
• Chairman, Kirksville Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee.{{cite web|last=Alonzo|first=Vanessa|url=http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=721041|title=Adair County presents State of the County address|publisher=KTVO-TV|date=17 February 2012|accessdate=11 November 2012}}
• Chairman, Highway 63 Alternative Route Traffic Safety Commission.{{cite web|last=Curtis|first=Chris|url= http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=689892|title=Citizens give MoDot the heat|publisher=KTVO-TV|date=22 November 2011|accessdate=11 November 2012}}

Most recently, Walker has been working as an associate real estate broker in the Kirksville, Missouri area.{{cite web|url=http://kirksvillerealestate.com/contact/contact_agent.php?ag_id=18311|title=Nate Walker-Realtor-Associate|publisher=Heritage House Realty business website|year=2012|accessdate=11 November 2012}}

Walker comes from a family background in politics. His uncle, Ronald M. Belt, was a member of the Missouri General Assembly from the 1950s through the early 1970s before becoming a judge. The young Walker attended pie suppers and other political events supporting his uncle while still a babe in his mothers arms. His maternal and paternal grandfathers were also involved in politics—one a Democrat the other Republican—and held various local elected positions on city council, county commission, and school board.{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Andi Watkins|url=http://tmn.truman.edu/theindex/2012/11/01/get-to-know-the-candidates/|title=Get to know the candidates|publisher=Truman State University Index newspaper website|date=1 November 2012|accessdate=11 November 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121211092901/http://tmn.truman.edu/theindex/2012/11/01/get-to-know-the-candidates/|archivedate=11 December 2012}}

Walker counts both Democrats and Republicans as political figures he looked up to and admires, notably fellow Missourians Harry S. Truman and Jerry Litton, and Conservative icon Ronald Reagan. After earning his degrees from the University of Missouri, Walker worked as a research analyst for the Missouri House of Representatives.

Walker's first attempt at elected office was not successful, as he ran for the Missouri House 12th district in 1978, losing to incumbent Democrat R. L. "Scoop" Usher.{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=475391|title=Missouri State House District 12 - 1978|publisher=OurCampaigns.com|date=16 August 2008|accessdate=12 November 2012}} Walker again faced off against Usher in 1980 and won his first term as a state representative from the 12th District,{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=475392|title=Missouri State House District 12 - 1980|publisher=OurCampaigns.com|date=16 August 2008|accessdate=12 November 2012}} a district that held all or parts of Knox. Linn, Macon and Shelby counties. Walker ran unopposed in November 1982 to retain his seat in the House.{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=475393|title=Missouri State House District 12 - 1982|publisher=OurCampaigns.com|date=16 August 2008|accessdate=12 November 2012}} It was during this second term, in 1983, that Walker was elected Minority Whip for the Missouri House. While in the Missouri House Walker served on the Appropriations-Social Service/Corrections, Agri-Business, Higher Education, and Tourism Committees. In 1984 Nate Walker chose not to run for the 12th District House seat, instead seeking statewide office as Missouri Lieutenant Governor. Three other Republicans also filed for the office, and in the August primary Walker finished in second place behind Mel Hancock.{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=381616|title=Missouri Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary - 1984|publisher=OurCampaigns.com|date=10 August 2008|accessdate=12 November 2012}}

Walker had originally intended to run for a position as 1st district Adair County Commissioner in the 2012 election.{{cite web|last=Claytor|first=Stephanie|url=http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=738294|title=Republicans and Democrats react to Wyatt's withdrawal from the race|publisher=KTVO-TV|date=4 April 2012|accessdate=11 November 2012}} However, the unexpected withdrawal of Representative Zachary Wyatt from the state representative race{{cite web|url=http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=737748|title=Wyatt withdraws from race|publisher=KTVO-TV|date=2012-04-03|accessdate=2012-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405213545/http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=737748|archive-date=2012-04-05|url-status=dead}} altered Walker's plans. He ran unopposed in the August Republican primary. In the November general election, he faced three-term former state representative Rebecca McClanahan, a Democrat whom Wyatt had defeated in November 2012. Walker defeated McClanahan by slightly over 2,000 votes, receiving 57.4 percent of the total cast.{{cite web|last=Bruner|first=Monisha|title=Nate Walker wins District 3 State Rep. Race|url=http://www.heartlandconnection.com/sports/story.aspx?id=822641#.UJ7qQoVpasQ|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126014118/http://www.heartlandconnection.com/sports/story.aspx?id=822641%23.UJ7qQoVpasQ|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 26, 2013|accessdate=11 November 2012}}

During the 97th Missouri General Assembly, Representative Walker served on the following committees:{{cite web|url=http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?year=2013&district=003|title=Re. Nate Walker main page|publisher=Missouri House of Representatives|year=2013|accessdate=18 May 2013}}

• Agri-Business
• Workforce Development and Workplace Safety
• Higher Education
• Urban Issues
• Tourism and Natural Resources
• Special Standing Committee on Urban Issues
• Oral Health Issue Development
• Missouri Sportsman Issue Development
• Issue Development Standing Committee on Workers Freedom

During the Assembly's first session, Walker was the primary sponsor on two pieces of legislation in the House. He was also co-sponsor on a large number of other bills. At the conclusion of the session, Walker was honored by his fellow House members for his work on education issues by being selected "Freshman Legislator of the Year award for Education Issues".{{cite news|url=http://www.kirksvilledailyexpress.com/article/20130518/NEWS/130518881|title=Rep. Walker honored for work on Mo. education|newspaper=Kirksville Daily Express - Kirksville, Mo |publisher=The Kirksville Daily Express via website|date=18 May 2013|accessdate=18 May 2013}}

{{Election box begin |title=Missouri 3rd District State Representative Election 2012}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Nate Walker

|votes = 8,298

|percentage = 57.4

|change = Winner

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Rebecca McClanahan

|votes = 6,156

|percentage = 42.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |title=Missouri Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary 1984 }}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Mel Hancock

|votes = 153,449

|percentage = 46.9

|change = Winner

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Nate Walker

|votes = 118,901

|percentage = 36.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tom Baldwin

|votes = 42,463

|percentage = 12.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = David R. Countie

|votes = 12,131

|percentage = 3.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |title=Missouri 12th District State Representative Election 1980}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Nate Walker

|votes = 7,939

|percentage = 53.4

|change = Winner

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = R.L. "Scoop" Usher

|votes = 6,770

|percentage = 46.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |title=Missouri 12th District State Representative Election 1978}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Nate Walker

|votes = 5,239

|percentage = 46.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| |party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = R.L. "Scoop" Usher

|votes = 6,079

|percentage = 53.7

|change = Winner

}}

{{Election box end}}

Walker has two sons, Madison and Sam. Walker is involved in Kirksville Rotary Club, Kirksville Arts Council, Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce, National Rifle Association, Ducks Unlimited, Macon County Historical Society, Macon County FLywheel & Collectible Club, Macon Area Chamber of Commerce, Macon Elks Lodge, El Kadir Shrine Club, Ararat Shrine, and the Adair Masonic Lodge #366 AF & AM.{{cite web|url=http://www.house.mo.gov/bio.aspx?year=2013&district=003|title=House member bio|publisher=Missouri House of Representatives|year=2013|accessdate=18 May 2013}}

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Category:1952 births

Category:American real estate brokers

Category:American newspaper publishers (people)

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Missouri House of Representatives

Category:People from Kirksville, Missouri

Category:People from Macon County, Missouri

Category:University of Missouri alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Missouri General Assembly