Although he technically is a freshman senator, Gary Nodler has been a player in the political game for decades.

Nodler (R-Joplin) said he has always had an interest in politics. While some young adults may get wrapped up in music and television, Nodler was taken aback by his era’s monumental political events.

“The whole Kennedy experience, the assassination and the Cuban Missile Crisis, all of those things caught my attention when I was a kid,” he said. “The 1950 presidential campaign between Nixon and Kennedy, I was for Nixon, was such an event. Of all the presidential campaigns of the 20th century it may have been one of the most exiting ones. It was just engaging.”

Nodler, a native of Southwest Missouri, grew up and attained his primary and secondary education in Neosho. He went on to attend Crowder College and the University of Missouri, but ended up at Missouri Southern, where he graduated in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.

He got his first real taste of politics in 1972, when he participated in the late Congressman Gene Taylor’s first congressional campaign. Nodler never lost his political cravings, despite the fact he was drafted into the military nine days after he graduated from Southern. He was the last person in history to be drafted from Newton County.

After the Vietnam War ended, Nodler took an opportunity to serve his remaining time in the National Guard and headed back to work for Taylor as his district staff director. Nodler went on to run Taylor’s Joplin office for 16 years.

“My job evolved over those years,” he said.

The last few years Taylor was in office, Nodler was his principal staff person in the district. He worked directly with Taylor’s top staff assistants in Washington. While in this position, Nodler did constituent work, traveled with Taylor and completed legislative research.

In 1988, following Taylor’s retirement, Nodler ran for his vacant position. He lost to Mel Hancock.

Despite the loss in 1988, Nodler bounced right back after President George Bush appointed him as regional administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration. Nodler continued this position for the duration of Bush’s term.

In 1991, Nodler was given a cabinet level assignment at the White House, where he represented SBA on the Economic Policy Counsel. He also served as the president’s adviser to the Council on Rural America.

“It was pretty fascinating to work at that level,” Nodler said.

After he left government service in 1993, he ran his own consulting business in Joplin.

Nodler retired in 2000.

He returned to the political arena after he was approached by a group of people wanting him to run for the Missouri Senate.

Nodler decided to go for it after much arm-twisting.

“And the rest, as they say, is history,” he said.

Although being a state senator wasn’t his first choice, Nodler said he enjoys his new position.

Nodler said, “It’s an opportunity to be involved in politics and hopefully contribute something.”