The race for the largest Missouri House of Representatives district in the state is stirring up big campaign promises, but likely will come down to experience.

This isn’t just a debate of years of service, though.

Voters will have to decide if they want someone with a Congressional background or someone with more local government ties to represent the 3rd House District. The district covers Daviess, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Mercer, Sullivan and Worth counties.

Both Casey Guernsey, a Bethany Republican, and Mike Hepler, a Winigan Democrat, pledge efforts to increase teacher salaries and funding for rural roads.

Both grew up on dairy farms.

And both entered politics at relatively young ages, but that’s where most of the similarities stop.

A single 28-year-old, Mr. Guernsey earned a business and accounting degree from the College of the Ozarks in Southern Missouri. At the end of his schooling, he interned in Washington for U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Springfield. He accepted a full-time position in 2003 with the office of U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, as a legislative assistant in the Capitol. He returned in 2005 to Northwest Missouri, where he worked as a field representative for Mr. Graves’ St. Joseph office and also as the representative’s agricultural liaison.

“I’m uniquely suited in this position for state rep,” Mr. Guernsey said. “... The longer I worked in Washington, the longer I realized I was a Northwest Missouri boy.”

Now 53, Mr. Hepler unseated an incumbent on the North Salem Township council in Linn County when he was 19 years old and has been involved with local government ever since. He served on the Green City School District’s Board of Education from 1981 to 1986, when he was elected as Sullivan County’s clerk. He and his wife have three children and six grandchildren who live in the area.

While currently held by term-limited Rep. Jim Whorton, a Trenton Democrat, the 3rd District has conservative leanings. Both candidates said they valued rural and agricultural issues.

Asked how the two differed, Mr. Hepler said: “The obvious is the experience and maturity. I’m bringing with me 30 years of experience in local government. Obviously the experience he’s bringing in is from the national level, and I don’t think we need any more input into our state government from the national level.”

Mr. Guernsey contended that his roles with Mr. Graves’ office involved him directly with agricultural, energy, family policy and transportation issues facing the state, which prompted many visits to Jefferson City. He said he has a working relationship with officials across the district and would be able to go to work on Day 1.

He unsuccessfully tried to unseat Mr. Whorton in 2006. He lost by about 400 votes. At the time, he ran on a platform calling for more rural input into the school funding formula.

“We can’t afford to no longer have an advocate in rural Northwest Missouri on education,” Mr. Guernsey said. “If we don’t have an advocate siding for us as rural Northwest Missouri, we’re going to be left behind.”

Mr. Hepler while clerk said he has helped clear Sullivan County’s debt and made vast improvements to its bridges, of which he helped draw up plans himself.

“I’m not your typical county clerk,” he said.

If elected, he said, “I would hope I could be a liaison for county governments — particularly third-class counties.”

Mr. Guernsey has received endorsements from Missouri Right to Life and the National Federation of Independent Business. The Missouri State UAW, or United Auto Workers, and Missouri National Education Association have backed Mr. Hepler.

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached

at alysonraletz@npgco.com.