Former HBA Employee Shane Schoeller narrowly won a very competitive three-way Republican primary for Secretary of State on August 7, and will now face Democrat Jason Kander in the general election on November 6.
Schoeller beat out two other strong republican candidates (see graphic below) in the statewide race. His final margin of victory was less than 5,000 votes, or approximately 1%. Schoeller ran on a platform to ensure the integrity of elections by requiring photo ID as well as reforming the ballot language process to remove slant and bias in wording.
Schoeller is also focused on eliminating red tape for businesses in their interaction with the SOS office. He wants to reinforce the Secretary of State’s oversight of the rule making powers of state agencies in an effort to make certain they do not abuse their regulatory powers to stifle Missouri businesses and employers.
Other Statewide Races
Businessman David Spence, who met with HBA members prior to the primary, won the Republican gubernatorial primary and will face off with Governor Jay Nixon in the general election. In the highly contested U.S. Senate primary, 2nd District Congressman Todd Akin soundly defeated businessman John Brunner and former Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman. Akin will face incumbent Claire McCaskill in November. For additional details about statewide results, visit the Secretary of State’s election results site by clicking here.
Around the Area
Incumbent Greene County Commissioners Harold Bengsch and Roseann Bentley both won their Republican primary races – both have opponents in the general election. In Christian County, State Representative Ray Weter emerged as the victor in a three way primary for the Christian County Eastern District Commissioner. He will face Democrat Danny Thompson in the November election. In the contested Taney County Commissioner Republican primary races, Danny Strahan was the victor in District 2 and Brandon Williams won the District 1 race. Neither one has a general election opponent. In the Webster County contested commission races, Republican Ward Jones won the Northern Commissioner primary race and Denzil Young kept the Southern Commissioner seat. There are no challengers for them in the general election.
In state House races, redistricting changed the areas in which many incumbents were seeking office plus there were a number of open seats due to term limits. Incumbent Thomas Long faced two opponents in the Republican primary in District 130. It appears that challenger Jeff Messenger won by a very narrow margin. He will face a Libertarian opponent in November. In a four-way primary in the newly drawn District 131, Sonya Murray Anderson won the primary and has no general election opponent. There was an open seat in District 134 and in the Republican primary, Elijah Haahr defeated John Sellars. Haahr will face Democrat James Owen in the general election. In the 136th District, also an open seat, Republican Kevin Austin defeated Ken Boyce in the primary and there is no general election opponent. Lynn Morris won a three-way primary for the open District 140 seat in Christian County. He has no general election opponent. Incumbent Republican Kevin Elmer held off primary challenger Clayton Jones in the 139th district. Elmer will face Democrat Bob Rubino in November.
Several incumbent Republican candidates did not have primaries but do have general election opponents in November including Eric Burlison, Lincoln Hough, Lyndall Fraker and Melissa Leach. For full results and to view who will face off in the general election, visit the Secretary of State’s election results by clicking here.
On the Senate side, the open seat for District 33 (includes Webster County and 9 other counties to the east/southeast,) had a three-way primary which former state representative Mike Cunningham won. There is no general election opponent in that district. State Rep. Ed Emery won the contested Republican primary for Senate District 31, another open seat (Bates, Barton, Cass, Henry and Vernon counties.) He will face Democrat opponent Charlie Burton in November. State Rep. David Sater emerged as the winner of the four-way Republican primary for Senate District 29 (Barry, Lawrence, McDonald, Stone and Taney counties,) and there is no general election opponent there.
Also of interest, Republican State Rep. Lyle Rowland, District 155 (Douglas, Taney and Ozark counties) held off a primary challenger and has no general election opponent. Republican Jeff Justus won the primary for the open District 156 seat (portion of Taney County) and has no general opponent. Incumbent Republican State Rep. Don Phillips from the Stone County area had no primary or general election challengers. Republican Sandy Crawford in the 129th District (Dallas Co. area,) held off a primary challenger and will face Democrat John Wilson in November.