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JEFFERSON CITY With seven Republicans comprising a crowded primary across the aisle, a Democrat has filed to run for Congress in southwest Missouri.

John Woodman, who runs a small technical support business and was once a Christian missionary, isn't a lifetime member of the party, he said in a Tuesday interview. He was a Republican for 35 years until he took on a new personal project in 2016, spending the next five years developing a learning course called "How We Fix America."

"I would actually encourage people not just to vote for me, but to leave the Republican Party and join the Democratic Party, because the Republican Party has not been serving us well," Woodman said. "It's not been serving us well in southwest Missouri and it's not been serving us well nationally."

He argues that the GOP has no plan to address what he views as the United States' three major issues a "warped economy," a "rigged political system" and "the lack of a shared vision that's based on truth."

"A lot of this is fed by misinformation and by demagoguery, and I don't see Republicans working seriously to solve this issue," Woodman said. "In fact, in some instances, Republicans are making this worse."

Woodman, who has lived in Springfield for 20 years,said he believes the Democratic Party is the best umbrella under which to focus on improving health care, education and the climate.

He pushed back on many Republicans' portrayals of the party as "socialist" or "radical," arguing that Democratic administrations "have been much better for the economy" and for job creation.

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The only Democrat to announce for the seat thus far, Woodman will face improbable odds in southwest Missouri's 7th district. U.S. Rep. Billy Long, who is vacating the seat after holding it since 2010, won re-election in 2020 with almost 70 percent of the vote.

Across the aisle is a crowded GOP field including former state Sen. Jay Wasson, Sens. Eric Burlison and Mike Moon, Dr. Sam Alexander, Alex Bryant, Audrey Richards and Paul Walker.

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com,(573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.

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Democrat running for Congress in southwest MO left the GOP and wants others to join him - News-Leader