{{Short description|American politician (born 1948)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Peggy Mast | image = Peggy Mast.jpg | image_upright = yes | caption = Mast in 2016 | state_house = Kansas | district = 76th | term_start = January 13, 1997 | term_end = January 9, 2017 | predecessor = Raymond Arthur Luthi | successor = Eric Smith | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|8|20}} | birth_place = Norton, Kansas, U.S. | alma_mater = | spouse = | party = Republican | website = }} '''Peggy L. Mast''' (born August 20, 1948) is an American Republican politician who served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives representing the 76th district. She served from 1997 to 2017, and finished her career as the Speaker of the House pro tempore.<ref name="legislature">{{cite web|url=https://www.kslegislature.org/li_2014/b2013_14/members/rep_mast_peggy_1/|title=Representative Peggy Mast - Speaker Pro Tem |work=Kansas State Legislature|accessdate=July 6, 2024}}</ref><ref name="votesmart">{{Cite web|title=Peggy Mast's Biography|url=http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12632|access-date=August 15, 2021|website=Vote Smart}}</ref>
== Career == Mast was born in Norton, Kansas. She has attended Butler County Community College, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Flint Hills Vocational-Technical, and was previously a school bus driver, worked for Emporia Zoo, Arnold Staffing Services, and Design Rite Contracting.<ref name="votesmart"/>
She has been a member of a number of organizations, including American Business Women's Association, Prairie Hens Unit, Kansas Cattlewoman's Association, Republican Women's Organization, and Alliance to Recognize and End Abuse.<ref name="votesmart"/>
While she was serving in the Kansas House of Representatives, she was a lead sponsor of an anti-Sharia bill.<ref name="utt"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://eu.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2012/05/10/mast-makes-last-pitch-sharia-law-bill/16433478007/|title=Mast makes last pitch for sharia law bill|first=Andy|last=Marso|work=Topeka Capital-Journal|date=May 10, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-sharia-kansas-idUSBRE84B0AW20120512|title=Kansas lawmakers pass effective ban on Islamic law|first=Kevin|last=Murphy|work=Reuters|date=May 13, 2012}}</ref> She also led a committee that considered a bill aimed at blocking Muslim refugees from the state due to security concerns.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://kansaspublicradio.org/statehouse-news/2016-02-19/kansas-house-bill-would-allow-state-to-bar-refugees|title=Kansas House Bill Would Allow State to Bar Refugees|first=Stephen|last=Koranda|work=Kansas Public Radio|date=February 19, 2016}}</ref>
===Committee membership=== Representative Mast served on the following legislative committees:<ref name="legislature"/> * Calendar and Printing * Interstate Cooperation (vice-chair) * Joint Committee on Kansas Security * Legislative Budget * Legislative Coordinating Council * Legislative Post Audit Committee * Social Services Budget (vice-chair)
==Activism== Mast has served as director of outreach of former FBI agent John Guandolo's organization Understanding the Threat, designated as an anti-Muslim "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center,<ref name="utt">{{cite web|url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/understanding-threat|title=Understanding the Threat|work=Southern Poverty Law Center|accessdate=September 20, 2023}}</ref> and described as a part of the counter-jihad movement.<ref>{{cite book|title='Green Crescent, Crimson Cross': The Transatlantic 'Counterjihad' and the New Political Theology|url=https://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3780/1/Pertwee__green-crescent-crimson-cross.pdf|pages=125, 268|last=Pertwee|first=Ed|date=October 2017|publisher=London School of Economics|doi=10.21953/lse.xx0e1p4w3f3y|doi-access=free}}</ref> She has held presentations for the group where she has talked about perceived threats to the country from groups such as Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has been met by protesters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://hayspost.com/posts/56cff2e5-93fb-4a7c-b671-540757d23dbb|title='People want to be riled up': Hays event highlights cultural divides|first=James|last=Bell|work=Hays Post|date=June 28, 2021}}</ref>
On October 20, 2016, she was widely criticized by peers and national news, by seemingly praising a quote from Adolf Hitler while comparing him to Planned Parenthood. She said, "Great quote from Hitler in the video. Please listen to it closely. His words are profound! Let’s start using discernment."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lowry|first=Bryan|date=October 22, 2016|title=Kansas House leader calls Hitler's words 'profound' in Facebook post|url=https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article109448412.html|work=The Wichita Eagle}}</ref> She later clarified that her intent was to criticize Planned Parenthood for allegedly using the same tactics as Hitler.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 21, 2016|title=Kansas Republican cites Adolf Hitler's "great quote" in Planned Parenthood critique|url=https://www.salon.com/2016/10/21/kansas-republican-cites-adolf-hitlers-great-quote-in-planned-parenthood-critique/|first=Brendan|last=Gauthier|work=Salon}}</ref>
==Personal life== Mast is married, and has four children, and three stepchildren.<ref name="votesmart"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mast, Peggy}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Bus drivers Category:American counter-jihad activists Category:Emporia State University alumni Category:Fort Hays State University alumni Category:Politicians from Emporia, Kansas Category:People from Norton, Kansas Category:Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives Category:Women state legislators in Kansas Category:21st-century members of the Kansas Legislature Category:20th-century members of the Kansas Legislature