Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe has won the Republican nomination for Missouri governor.
Early polling in the race initially had Kehoe behind Ashcroft. However, Kehoe’s support climbed throughout the campaign. He also led in fundraising, reporting $4.2 million in late July.
The win for Kehoe can be considered as a win for more moderate Republicans.
Of the top three candidates running, Kehoe is most like Gov. Mike Parson. He appointed Kehoe as Lt. Gov. in 2018 and endorsed him in the race for governor.
Kehoe has spoken of building off the work already done by Parson’s administration, including continuing support for state employees. That includes the raises given to them the last couple of sessions.
Unlike Ashcroft and Eigel, Kehoe is open to discussions about whether Missouri should provide economic support to keep the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City.
“It's not about giving subsidies to a sports team, in my opinion, it's about let's look at the economic impact that that organization is making to our community and to our state. And then what do people together want to do to make sure they stay here,” Kehoe said.
He has also defended the state’s gas tax and his vote to allow foreign entities to purchase farmland.
He said at the time, it was a vote to keep Missourians who worked at Smithfield Foods, which was purchased by a Hong-Kong based company, employed.
Kehoe also pushed back on the notion that he isn’t conservative enough.
“I believe that you represent the party's values and you move forward,” Kehoe said.
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