Candidate · November 3, 2026

Emanuel Cleaver, II

On the ballot for U.S. House · Missouri's 5th District

DemocraticIncumbent
raised through Oct 14, 2026
$1.8M
cash on hand
$883K
issues with public statements
6
outside spending for or against
$235K

§1On the ballot

Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.

OfficeU.S. House · Missouri's 5th District1
Party on the ballotDemocratic1
StatusIncumbent — Currently represents Missouri's 5th District in the U.S. House.2
Also on the ballot

§2Who they are

Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Emanuel Cleaver served twelve years on the Kansas City city council and was elected the city's first African American mayor in 1991, serving eight years in that office.3,4 He is serving his eleventh term representing Missouri's 5th District in the U.S. House, where he sits on the Financial Services Committee and is ranking member of its Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and he was elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 112th Congress.3,4 His biography lists a bachelor's degree from Prairie View A&M and a master's degree from St. Paul's School of Theology of Kansas City.3,4

Service in Congress since 2023

  • 2025–nowU.S. Representative, MO-52
  • 2023–2025U.S. Representative, MO-52

Websites and accounts

§3What they've said on the issues

Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.

Health Care

Medicaid expansion

His campaign website says he supports expanding Medicaid and filling gaps in coverage so that people in underserved and rural areas can get care close to home rather than traveling for hours.8

Health insurance system

His campaign website calls him a supporter and defender of the Affordable Care Act and says he believes it should be strengthened.8

  1. One government plan for everyone (Medicare for All)
  2. Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
  3. Keep the current mix of private and public coverage, including the ACA
  4. Fewer federal insurance rules and more private plan choices, with aid paid to individuals
Marked: the option their statement matches.

Abortion and Reproductive Health

Abortion law

His campaign website says he disagrees with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and believes reproductive health care decisions should be between women and their doctors.8

Crime, Policing and Prisons

Police funding

His campaign website says he is committed to ensuring that law enforcement has the money, resources and training it needs to cut crime and violence.8

Infrastructure and Transportation

Highway and transit funding

His campaign website says his work has brought billions of dollars to the district and the state for repairing and building highways, roads, bridges, transit and water projects.8

Energy and Climate

Data centers and electricity costs

His campaign's palm card, linked from its Issues page, lists fighting against data centers by demanding community input and opposing massive tax breaks.9

§4Popular bills that never got a vote

Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.

While Emanuel Cleaver, II served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Emanuel Cleaver, II sponsored or cosponsored 39 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.

See all 52

§5Money

Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.

Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.62

Raised$1,766,864
Spent$1,773,543
Cash on hand$882,948

Where the money came from

Individual donors$717K · 41%
PACs and other political committees$1.0M · 59%
Other receipts (other loans, refunds, interest)$15 · 0%

Outside spending

Groups spending independently reported $234,887 supporting and $0 opposing Emanuel Cleaver, II this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 7, 2026.63

Largest independent spenders, as named in their FEC filings.
GroupSupportingOpposing
AB PAC$234,887—

Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.

§6Financial disclosures

Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.