Missouri’s crowded GOP primary for Sam Graves’ seat has turned sharp and personal, with Salem Media’s Chris Stigall facing attack ads that he says were deceptively edited, while rival Nathan Willett is being scrutinized for past positions on transgender issues.

A competitive primary is underway to replace retiring Rep. Sam Graves in Missouri’s 6th District, and radio host Chris Stigall jumped into the race as a clear conservative voice. One local challenger, math teacher and former Kansas City councilman Nathan Willett, has pushed clips meant to undercut Stigall’s appeal to Trump-aligned voters. The back-and-forth is about who can credibly claim the mantle of a true Trump Republican in the district.

Willett pulled old clips and social posts and used them in attacks, but Stigall responded by showing those snippets had been edited in ways that changed their meaning. Stigall’s team has called the ads misleading and released fuller context to prove it. That tactic—snip the tape, spin the story—is a classic way opponents try to manufacture controversy, and voters notice when the edits tell a different tale than the original footage.

Conservative outlets have also dug into Willett’s record and flagged positions that might not sit well with the Republican base, especially on transgender policy. Reporting raised questions about Willett’s past comments and votes on campus and city issues, which critics say look out of step with GOP priorities. Those revelations have prompted outside groups to line up behind Stigall and prepare paid messaging to draw sharp contrasts.

The race to replace retiring Republican Missouri Rep. Sam Graves is shaping up to be a two-person fight between radio host Christ Stigall and math teacher Nathan Willett.

Graves has already endorsed Stigall, and conservative groups are warning that Willett is “woke.”

Come And Take It PAC is launching an ad campaign Friday that runs well into the six figures against Willett, the Daily Caller has exclusively learned.

Willett, the ad states, opposed President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender members of the military and voted to fly pride flags around Kansas City as a member of the city council.

The tweet opposing Trump’s transgender troops ban was sent when Willett was serving as the University of Missouri student body president in 2017.

As a member of the Kansas City City Council, Willett voted to designate October as LGBTQ+ History Month and to spend $631,890 on HIV outreach programs — including for transgenders — condom distribution, and promotion of safe sex strategies to gays.

Not mentioned in the ad is Willett’s relationship with prominent transgender activists. Brandon Boulware is a father who testified against legislation that would prevent his son, who identified as a girl, from competing against girls in sports. Boulware and his wife, Jenny, have donated $8700 to Willett’s political campaigns since 2022. Brandon and Willett are also friends on Facebook.

That kind of record is the opposite of what many Republican primary voters expect in a conservative district, and it’s easy to see why activists and donors who prioritize cultural issues are uneasy. When an opponent’s voting history and public associations point away from traditional GOP positions, it becomes a natural wedge for pro-Trump groups. The campaign is showing how quickly identity and issue positions can become the central fault lines in a primary.

Accusations of deceptive editing deserve scrutiny too, because manipulating clips can change a candidate’s public persona overnight. Stigall’s rebuttal highlights how important context is when media or rivals circulate short videos. In a noisy media environment, campaigns that supply fuller tapes and transparent sourcing tend to win credibility with skeptical voters.

Voters in the 6th District will get to weigh who best represents conservative priorities: a media figure backed by the retiring congressman and conservative groups, or a younger challenger with a municipal record that critics call out of step with the base. Outside spending and message discipline will matter, and sharp attacks—whether on policy records or through edited clips—will only intensify as the primary calendar advances.

Expect both sides to keep digging into records, ads, and archived posts as they jockey for the GOP nod, and for voters to demand clear answers on substance, not spin. Honest context and consistent messaging will be decisive for a base that prizes authenticity and conservative principle.