By Beatrice Diane Bartolome ,
4 hours ago
Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons. www.chappell4mo.com
Missouri state Rep. Darin Chappell, the uncle of pop star Chappell Roan , was selected Wednesday to lead the chamber’s Republican majority as House majority leader. The promotion puts the Navy veteran in one of the most powerful positions in the Missouri legislature.
The family connection is raising eyebrows because the politics could hardly be further apart. Roan, an out l esbian and outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate , has been a visible presence in the political conversation since the 2024 presidential election. Her uncle, meanwhile, has built his legislative record on conservative priorities.
Those include abortion restrictions and opposition to gun control, and he has also campaigned against critical race theory in schools. According to Out Magazine , Chappell also cosponsored legislation that would have blocked public funding for abortion providers.
Who is Darin Chappell?
Chappell represents Missouri’s 137th House District. Out Magazine reports that he was first elected in 2022 and won 70 percent of his district’s vote in the 2026 midterms, a margin that helps explain his rise amon...