SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- As elections get closer both candidates talked to us at KOLR 10 about their stance on the hot topic voters are talking about.

Democrat Jack Truman and Republican Mark Alford battle to be Missouri’s 4th Congressional District Representative, a spot vacated by Vicki Hartzler.

Both candidates focus on inflation.

Jack Truman (D): “Regular people, they’re just struggling to get by. Gas, food, rent, utilities. It’s hard for a regular person.  that’s more than relevant in this district”

Mark Alford (R): “People are filling up once, sometimes twice a week, having to choose between, you know, filling up their tanks or filling up their stomachs.  We’ve got to get people back to work. I think that was a major cause for some of these issues that we’re seeing now.”

Alford received an endorsement from former president Donald Trump.

Mark Alford (R): “I’m very honored to have the endorsement of President Trump, my commitment to America and putting America first, but also putting the fourth District first.”

Jack Truman (D): “And the more we divide people and keep people isolated and separated, the more things aren’t going to get done. So when you have a divider like President Trump endorsing my opponent, I think I think that’s good for Jack Truman,”

The 4th District covers the area of West-Central Missouri, much of its rural, and includes Lebanon, up to Harrisonville, east to Columbia.

Each candidate with a different approach to reaching voters across the Ozarks ahead of the midterms.

Jack Truman (D): “Even though this is a conservative district because of my values I can connect and relate to a lot of people live around here. With me being both a liberal and a conservative, having those values, I think I’m able to really connect to locals here in the district.”

Mark Alford (R): “I have spent the last 14 months really in the district. talking with people, hearing their concerns, going to every county seat, going to the town squares, going into businesses, going into homes.”