Term Limits Could Hurt Republicans in 2018

Twice as many Republicans can't run again for state legislative office. That could help Democrats, but how much?

Ron Richard has had a career in politics with few parallels.

He currently serves as president pro tempore of the Missouri Senate and was previously speaker of the state House. Only a handful of politicians in American history have served as the top leader in both of their states' chambers.

For that accomplishment, Richard has term limits at least partially to thank.

Missouri's term limits are among the strictest in the nation, with a maximum of eight years of service allowed in the House or Senate. As a result, the state legislature sees a lot of turnover. Next year, more than a quarter of Missouri's representatives -- 27 percent -- will be prevented from running for re-election.

That constant churn, Richard suggests, has made lawmakers less cooperative.

"I think that’s why I’m a little bit jaundiced about term limits,” Richard toldSt. Louis Public Radio. “You can’t make a deal with somebody because everybody knows you’re going to be gone, so people don’t need to keep their word.”

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