Cody Oshel

Cody Oshel's career experience includes working as a business consultant and pastor. He has been affiliated with Missouri United Methodist Church.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in Trenton, Cody is deeply rooted in the district, where seven generations have proudly called beautiful northern Missouri home. Cody’s journey has led him to Maryville, where he lives with his wife, Jessica, their sons, Alister and Shepherd, and their dogs, Cash and Linguini.

Cody’s professional career has led him across the corners of the sixth district over the past 14 years. He has served in multiple pastoral roles within the Missouri United Methodist Church, including a Senior Pastor at Weston, Stanberry, and Kirksville, as well as in associate and leadership roles in the St. Joseph area. Cody currently serves in strategic growth partnerships and brand activation at Thrivent Financial, bringing practical leadership experience in supporting Christian communities, businesses, and economic growth across the state and country. Cody has been honored to receive the Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow award, recognized as a Most Wanted for Kansas City’s Big Brothers Big Sisters, served as the vice president of the Kansas/Missouri region of Thrivent’s Member Network, and is a former board president and member of The Crossing Outreach in St. Joseph

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Servant Leadership- I am here to get in the mess with you. The best advice I received as a young pastor was, "See the people where it matters." Every church I was appointed to was in decline, and yet, I found growth and left each church healthier than I found it because I wasn't afraid to roll up my sleeves and get in the mess.Every Voice Matters - Missourians deserve to have their voices heard in Washington. Nothing can change unless we have hard conversations. I plan to set up listening tours before and while in office to hear your stories and bring them to the Capitol.Rooted in Community - Born and raised in Trenton, I am deeply rooted in the district, where seven generations have proudly called beautiful northern Missouri home. My journey has led me to Maryville, where I currently reside with my wife, Jessica, our sons, Alister and Shepherd, and our dogs, Cash and Linguini. I strongly believe that northern Missouri deserves a representative with deep local roots committed to Missouri’s families and farms.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Healthcare - The Affordable Care Act has created a massive burden on rural Missouri farmers, small business owners, and rural hospitals and providers. We have to create a solution that reduces the burden!

Agriculture- Missouri's farms are the backbone of our economy and our country's way of life. We have to protect our farmers by improving rural infrastructure, securing fair trade deals, reducing burdensome regulations, and protecting our land from being purchased by foreign entities.

Strong National Defense- A strong national defense is the foundation of our freedom. I support a funded, modern military that deters our enemies, supports our allies, and positions us as the strongest nation in the world.

Campaign websiteOshel's campaign website stated the following:Agriculture FirstLand Ownership:According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, 118,762 acres of farmland are foreign-owned. Though Missouri has a bill in place to limit foreign ownership to no more than 1% of Missouri's total farmland, that doesn't show the impact on a local level. 28.01% of Atchison County's farmland is foreign-owned, the highest percentage in the state. The second-highest county is Schuyler at 26.16%. Nodaway County is the third-highest at 15.5%.All three counties are located in District 6. All three counties are filled with generations of farmers and families who make a living off the land.In Congress, I will fight to pass legislation that protects our land from foreign entities. Missouri communities, and many other states, use the land to support their livelihoods. I will fight to protect our sovereignty.County land-ownership statistics were provided by the USDA's US Foreign Owned Agriculture Lands maps.Rural Health MattersCody’s family is known for their hard-working, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to helping others with no recognition.  This holds true for his father, James, who owns his own mechanic shop in North Central Missouri.  As a small business owner, insurance can be financially stressful.  Unfortunately, in 2025, James was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, despite being a seemingly healthy and young mechanic.  After his diagnosis, James went on the search for insurance, but he was priced out and denied treatment.  Cody knows this is happening not just in Missouri, but across the country. National DefenseForeign Intelligence Surveillance Act:The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was established in 1978 following Watergate to protect the United States against foreign attacks of terror, and we can all agree that national security is of top importance. However, with the addition of section 702 post 9/11, the FBI has been found to improperly use the act on American citizens. If you receive a flagged foreign text, call, or email, all of your communications can be accessed by the government without a warrant. I believe that FISA needs to be stripped back to its original intent. The U.S. government should not have access to spy on American citizens without probable cause and without a warrant. If elected, I will fight to protect both our nation and your security. Fiscal Break on WashingtonCody commits to protecting future generations by stopping runaway spending.  He opposes tax hikes imposed on families, farmers, and small business owners.  The red tape needs cut, so small towns can grow. Broadband is EssentialIn addition to broadband:In recent years, data centers have expanded across the United States. AI is everywhere and integrated into everything, but much of this world is new. Research conducted by the University of Michigan and Michigan’s Environmental Justice Coalition outlines some concerns in relation to data centers. Data centers can use about 2 megawatts of power annually, which equates to the annual usage of about 2,000 homes, and billions of gallons of water. This forces utility companies to invest in increasing infrastructure. The cost of expansion can be passed down to residents through higher rates. Not to mention the noise, light, and air pollution generated. According to studies conducted by a team of researchers from the University of California at Riverside, data centers could cause 600,000 asthma-symptom cases and 1,300 premature deaths due to air pollution. This equates to about $20 billion in health care burdens (let’s not forget about the already stressed rural health care systems). So what next? I do not believe data center developers should receive tax incentives. Government spending, even at the state or local level, needs to be responsible, and tax dollars going to billion-dollar companies is not right. I hope to help Washington bring forward policies that require centers to pay for their own operations. I believe that centers should also be required to provide their own energy-efficient power source or pay for the additional infrastructure, preventing residents from bearing the costs. Data centers also need to be held accountable, like other operations, when it comes to mandatory reporting for public transparency. Citizens deserve to know who owns the companies, their power and water usage, and community impact. I’m ready to fight for transparency in North Missouri. — Cody Oshel's campaign website (July 20, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.