Missouri was once a swing state but has moved decidedly to the right over the past decade….reports Asian Lite News
Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has won the Missouri Senate seat against Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine.
Missouri has been considered a safe Republican seat in GOP hands as the party fought for control of the Senate, the Associated Press reported.
Schmitt will take the seat occupied for the past 12 years by Republican Roy Blunt, who announced in March 2021 he would not seek a third term — ending a half-century career in politics.
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Missouri was once a swing state but has moved decidedly to the right over the past decade. Valentine had plenty of money to spend — she’s the daughter of the late longtime Anheuser-Busch chairman, August Busch Jr. But she lacked name recognition and her campaign never gained momentum, AP reported.
Schmitt serves as the attorney general of Missouri, a position he was appointed to by Republican Gov. Mike Parsons following former Attorney General Josh Hawley’s election to the US Senate.
Prior to being appointed attorney general, Schmitt served as state treasurer and state senator.
Valentine, is an heiress of the Anheuser-Busch beer fortune. She’s among 22 self-funding candidates who have together pumped more than $435 million into 2022 midterm races.
Incumbent Senator Josh Hawley, and Schmitt had earlier said that if Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate, they won’t support Senator Mitch McConnell, for another term as leader, Fox News reported.
At a rally for Schmitt in Springfield, Missouri, Hawley told a gaggle of reporters that he prefers a fresh face for leader, citing disagreements with McConnell on funding Ukraine’s defense against Russia and spending legislation.
In the final weeks of the Republican Senate primary in July, Schmitt said that he wanted either Senators Ted Cruz of Texas or Mike Lee of Utah to lead the Republican conference. “Mitch McConnell hasn’t endorsed me and I don’t endorse him for leadership,” Schmitt said at the time, Fox News reported.
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