Holly Rehder

Holly Thompson Rehder (born September 15, 1969) is an American politician. A Republican, she was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2013 to 2020, elected from the 148th district (parts of Scott and Mississippi counties). She had been a member of the Missouri Senate from the 27th district since January 2021, having been elected to that body in the November 2020 election.

Business career and education Rehder received her GED, then attended the Southeast Missouri State University. She did not initially complete her degree, dropping out to work full-time instead. After 17 years, she received a Bachelor's in mass communication and a double minor in Political Science and Communications for Legal Professionals (debate).

Political career Rehder spent eight years in the Missouri House of Representatives holding the seat for the 148th District. In the state House, Rehder sponsored a right-to-work law, which was opposed by organized labor. She also sponsored legislation to legalize needle-exchange programs as a way to prevent the spread of hepatitis C and HIV and to encourage intravenous drug users to seek treatment.

Since taking office in 2013, Rehder campaigned for legislation to establish a state database to track prescriptions for addictive drugs such as opioids. The proposal was endorsed by Governor Mike Parson, but faced resistance from some legislators who cited privacy concerns, and failed to advance in several legislative sessions. She won the Republican primary election in August 2020 by a narrow margin of 141 votes, defeating Kathryn Swan; Rehder received 16,839 votes (50.2%) to Swan's 16,698 votes (49.8%). She was easily elected in the heavily Republican district in the 2020 general election, The 27th Senate district covers a geographically large region in southeast Missouri,

Rehder praised Donald Trump and in 2019 pledged to promote "the Trump Agenda" in Southeast Missouri.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Missouri, Rehder was one of five Republican state senators who called on Governor Parson to call a special session to pass legislation to ban employer mandates for employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including mandates by both public entities and private businesses.

Rehder co-sponsored a bill adapted from Cicero Institute model legislation that criminalized sleeping on public land. It was struck down by the Supreme Court of Missouri.

In 2024 she ran for lieutenant governor coming in third in the primary behind fellow state senator Lincoln Hough and the winner David Wasinger.

Electoral history

Personal life Rehder was married to Raymond Rehder; they divorced after 29 years of marriage.