Missouri candidates make their final arguments in run-up to Tuesday’s balloting (2024)

JEFFERSON CITY — Candidates running for statewide office made their final pitches Monday, hoping to rein in undecided voters heading to the polls on Tuesday.

Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and GOP Sen. Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring barnstormed across the state looking to shore up support in the race for governor, while another major gubernatorial contender, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, was set to hold a rally at his family farm Monday night in Willard, featuring former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and country singer Lee Greenwood.

Kehoe launched his day at the Missouri Farm Bureau headquarters in the capital city, flanked by the leaders of some of the state’s most influential lobbying groups, who have poured in resources aimed at helping him overcome Ashcroft’s strong name recognition.

“We’re just reiterating my background and what it means for Missourians,” said Kehoe, who was raised by a single mother in north St. Louis and went on to become a successful business owner before moving into politics.

Eigel was scheduled to rally supporters at 6 p.m. in St. Charles. In a social media post, he highlighted campaign promises including ending the personal property tax and deporting people who have been living in the country illegally.

“When we win on Tuesday, it will be thanks to an army of grassroots conservative Missourians who stood up and said ‘no more,’” Eigel said.

On the Democratic side, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade and Springfield businessman Mike Hamra are now waiting to see which of them will face the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary.

Republicans will choose nominees for five statewide posts, while Democrats in the St. Louis area are deciding whether to send U.S. Rep. Cori Bush back to Washington amid a challenge by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell.

In the Republican race for lieutenant governor, attorney David Wasinger’s attempt Friday to block television stations from running an attack ad on behalf of Sen. Lincoln Hough was tossed out by a St. Louis County judge, allowing the spot to continuing airing as the hours ticked down before the polls open at 6 a.m.

The GOP battle to replace Ashcroft as secretary of state features a wide-open battle among eight candidates, including St. Louis resident Valentina Gomez, state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, political strategist Jamie Corley, House Speaker Dean Plocher, Wentzville Municipal Judge Mike Carter, Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller, Rep. Adam Schwadron and state Sen. Denny Hoskins.

Attorney general’s race

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey sought to get last-minute attention in his race against well-funded attorney Will Scharf for a full, four-year term.

In a release, Bailey said he sent letters to Missouri’s county clerks and prosecutors offering assistance in ensuring Missouri’s elections remain secure. His message echoed a common theme among Republicans that undocumented immigrants could attempt to illegally cast ballots Tuesday.

“I am writing to assure you that you are not alone in the fight to protect our communities,” wrote Bailey, who was appointed to the seat by Parson.

In an interview Monday, Scharf responded to criticism leveled against his allied PAC for an ad placing blame for the shooting death of Hermann detective Sgt. Mason Griffith last year on Bailey when he was a Warren County prosecutor.

“It’s a PAC ad. I didn’t have any control over it,” Scharf said. “It’s obviously a very tragic situation, but when prosecutors are weak on crime, when prosecutors let repeat violent offenders out on the streets over and over and over again, tragic consequences ensue.”

A final primary poll by Missouri Scout and Remington Research Group showed Bailey winning 41% support, Scharf 30%, with 29% of likely Republican primary voters undecided.

“We see a very different polling picture than has been publicly reported. We believe that we’re going to win, and we’re excited to win,” Scharf said.

Meanwhile, the Republican Attorneys General Association on July 16 gave $50,000 to political action committee Missouri Freedom, which gave $50,000 to Bailey’s Liberty and Justice PAC a day later.

The support is notable because of a Scharf campaign memo in 2023 Politico reported on that claimed “we do not expect RAGA to offer Bailey any support despite his status as a technical incumbent, a testament to the expected weakness of Bailey as a candidate and the expected strength of Scharf’s challenge.”

Scharf downplayed the significance of the contribution.

Records show nearly $6.9 million flowing to the Scharf-allied Defend Missouri PAC since July 17 from just two donors: Club for Growth Action — Missouri Federal Committee and the Concord Fund.

“RAGA’s allies gave nearly $7 million to a PAC supporting our opponent since mid-July, but we are thankful for the peanuts they tossed our way as the clock struck midnight,” said Michael Hafner, spokesman for Bailey, in a statement Monday.

“Scharf’s Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley fan club thought they could use DC dark money to buy an election in Missouri,” Hafner said. “Tomorrow, we believe General Bailey will show the country that Missouri is not for sale.”

Other statewide races

Appointed Republican Treasurer Vivek Malek, like Bailey a Parson protege, hammered home his support of former President Donald Trump via a series of mailers in his race against House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, Sen. Andrew Koenig and Springfield attorney Lori Rook.

Voters also will see two statewide ballot questions, including whether child care providers should be given a property tax break as a way to boost the number of facilities offering the service.

Parson has made it a priority in his final year in office, but the Republican-controlled Legislature has been slow to pick up the baton.

“The No. 1 reason people don’t go to work is because of adequate child care. We don’t have it in the state of Missouri,” Parson told reporters last week.

The other question is a revote of an initiative requiring Kansas City to spend more on policing. It was approved in 2022, but the Missouri Supreme Court issued a ruling in April calling for a second round of voting.

1st Congressional District

In the hotly contested Democratic primary race for the U.S. House, Bell had a Monday of meet-and-greets planned, but no major rallies were scheduled.

In the late morning, Bell and his campaigners stopped at the Original Pancake House in Ladue and then planned to stop by busier gathering spots in the city, such as The Foundry, as well as some early polling places.

Bush had a virtual rally planned for Monday afternoon, featuring several of her colleagues from the “Squad,” a progressive group of U.S. House members — including U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

Also scheduled to take part was U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York, who lost his reelection bid last month.

Joe Holleman of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.