Eric Burlison | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's7th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Billy Long |
| Member of theMissouri Senate from the 20th district | |
| In office January 9, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jay Wasson |
| Succeeded by | Curtis Trent |
| Member of theMissouri House of Representatives from the 30th district | |
| In office January 5, 2009 – January 4, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | B. J. Marsh |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Austin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eric Wayne Burlison (1976-10-02)October 2, 1976 (age 48) Springfield, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Angie Burlison |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Missouri State University (BA,MBA) |
| Website | House website |
Eric Wayne Burlison (born October 2, 1976) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative fromMissouri's 7th congressional district since 2023. He previously served as the representative for District 133 (Greene County) in theMissouri House of Representatives. ARepublican, Burlison was elected to the Missouri House in 2008 and left office at the end of 2016. In 2018, he was elected to theMissouri Senate, representing District 20. He was reelected for a second term in theU.S House of Representatives in 2024.[1]
Burlison is a member of the new House Department of Government Efficiency Committee.[2]
A 1995 graduate ofParkview High School inSpringfield, Missouri, Burlison received aBachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 2000 and aMaster of Business Administration in 2002 fromSouthwest Missouri State University.
Burlison was employed atCoxHealth as a software engineer before being promoted tobusiness analyst. He now works forCerner.[3][4][5]
Burlison is a member of the Freedom of Road Riders, Missouri Right to Life,National Rifle Association of America, and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.[3][6][7]
Burlison served in theMissouri House from 2009 to 2016.[8] During that time, he chaired the House Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing and was vice chair of the House Special Committee on Health Insurance.[9]
In 2011, Burlison sponsored a bill that made Missouri join the Health Care Compact.[10] The compact became law in Missouri and seven other states.[11]
In 2014, Burlison passed a bill to provide children with dyslexia better access to educational services. The legislation added dyslexia to a state grant program to help the families of children with disabilities pay for special education programs.[12]
In 2016, Burlison sponsored and passed a bill to eliminate conceal and carry requirements for firearms in Missouri.[13]
In 2018, Burlison was elected to the Missouri Senate, representing the 20th District, which comprises Christian County and part of Greene County.[14] Burlison's committee assignments included:
In 2022, Burlison proposed a bill to bypass a trial by jury for those who believe their use of deadly force is inself-defense. The bill received bipartisan opposition, including testimonies from law enforcement agencies and a prosecutor who described it as the “Make Murder Legal Act.”[15]
In 2022, Burlison defeated Democratic nominee Kristen Radaker-Sheafer in the race forMissouri's 7th congressional district with 70.9% of the vote to Radaker-Shefer's 26.9%.[16] His term of office in the118th U.S. Congress began on January 3, 2023.[17]
In a speech on the House floor at the start of his term, Burlison criticizedDirectTV for removingNewsmax TV from its listings, despite Newsmax being caught spreading misinformation about alleged election rigging and widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, stories consistently proven false. Newsmax later retracted and apologized for spreading this misinformation. Regardless, Burlison invoked theHolocaust while condemning DirectTV's actions, alluding to, and misquoting, the poem "First they came ..." byMartin Niemoller and suggesting that cable companies were censoring conservatives.[18]
Burlison has said that constituent town halls are "where only political nutjobs show up."[19]
In January 2025, Burlison introduced a bill recognizing personhood as beginning at conception.[20]
Burlison was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[21]
On March 19, 2024, Burlison voted NAY to House Resolution 149 Condemning the illegal abduction and forcible transfer of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation. He was one of nine Republicans to do so.[22]
In 2023, Burlison was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed PresidentJoe Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.[23][24]
Burlison voted to provide Israel with support following2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[25][26]
Burlison supports cuts and adding work requirements toMedicaid.[19]
For the118th Congress[28]
Burlison lives outside ofSpringfield with his wife Angie and two daughters.[3][5][29] He attends Destiny Church inRepublic, Missouri, and is active in supporting campus ministries such as The Potter's House and Campus Crusade for Christ. Burlison is involved withBig Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks and was named the Big Brother of the Year in 2005. He serves on the board of D.R.E.A.M and the Harmony House for battered and abused women.[3][5][29]
Burlison isProtestant.[30][31]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison | 11,060 | 57.9 | ||
| Democratic | Nick Beatty | 8,047 | 42.1 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison | 8,381 | 71.3 | +13.4 | |
| Democratic | Devon Cheek | 3,372 | 28.7 | −13.4 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison | 11,878 | 70.5 | −0.8 | |
| Democratic | Nicholas Ivan Ladendorf | 4,972 | 29.5 | +0.8 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison | 7,047 | 100.00% | +29.5 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison | 62,209 | 73.9% | −26.1 | |
| Democratic | Jim Bellido | 22,004 | 26.1% | +26.1 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison | 178,592 | 70.9% | 2.9% | |
| Democratic | Kristen Radaker-Sheafer | 67,485 | 26.8% | 0.75% | |
| Libertarian | Kevin A. Craig | 5,869 | 2.3% | −45.2% | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eric Burlison (incumbent) | 263,231 | 71.5 | |
| Democratic | Missi Hesketh | 96,655 | 26.3 | |
| Libertarian | Kevin Craig | 7,982 | 2.2 | |
| Total votes | 367,868 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's 7th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 305th | Succeeded by |