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Mike Parson faces opportunities, challenges in new term as Missouri governor
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson made history last week. He became the first Republican in more than three decades to win a second term as governor, winning a landslide victory by nearly 500,000 votes. And just like his first go round — after he took over following Eric Greitens’ June 2018 resignation — Parson will take […]
On Election Day, Missouri Republicans dominate up and down the ballot
Missouri is a red state. If there was any doubt about that at all, Republicans put it to rest Tuesday night. Not only did Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and his fellow GOP statewide officeholders run the table, they did it by each winning nearly 60 percent of the vote. And U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner survived […]
Scott Fitzpatrick wins Missouri treasurer race over Vicki Englund
Republican Scott Fitzpatrick has defeated Democrat Vicki Englund to earn a four-year term as Missouri Treasurer. Fitzpatrick, 33, was declared the winner by the Associated Press shortly after 10:30 p.m. with Fitzpatrick holding a 29 percentage point lead over England, 46. Gov. Mike Parson appointed Fitzpatrick as treasurer and he was sworn into office in […]
Mike Kehoe defeats Alissia Canady in race for Missouri lieutenant governor
Republican Mike Kehoe has won a full four-year term as Missouri’s lieutenant governor, defeating Democrat Alissia Canady. With half of precincts reporting, Kehoe was declared the winner by the Associated Press around 10:30 p.m. while he was leading by nearly 600,000 votes. Kehoe, 58, served two terms as a state senator from Jefferson City before […]
Missouri voters pick Donald Trump over Joe Biden
President Donald Trump once again easily picked up Missouri’s 10 electoral votes on Tuesday, cruising to victory over former Vice President Joe Biden in the Show-Me State. The Associated Press called the race for the president shortly after 9:30 p.m. with roughly half the precincts reporting and Trump leading by 20 percentage points — roughly […]
Election Day: Missouri governor, redistricting among high stakes choices on the ballot
There’s a lot at stake as Missourians head to the polls today. Who will be the state’s governor for the next four years? Will the historically GOP-friendly suburbs turn blue? How should districts be drawn for the next decade of state legislative races? With unprecedented early voting, experts are predicting huge turnout. So what’s on […]
Handful of Missouri legislative races will determine fate of GOP super majorities
First things first, there’s one thing that’s absolutely certain: Missouri Republicans are in no danger of losing their legislative majorities. When the 101st Missouri General Assembly convenes in January, the GOP will still dominate both the House and Senate. But the outcome of Tuesday’s legislative elections around the state could still have long-lasting consequences. If […]
Missouri FOP revokes endorsement of Republican whose children say he abused them
The Missouri Fraternal Order of Police has rescinded its endorsement of Rick Roeber, a Republican candidate for the Missouri House accused by his two adult children of physically and sexually abusing them when they were young. In a letter from Missouri FOP President Rick Inglima to Roeber obtained by The Independent, Roeber was informed that […]
Missouri AG’s office denies allegations it broke law in medical marijuana lawsuit
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office dismissed accusations that his office and the state department of health illegally concealed records and violated the Sunshine Law during the course of a medical marijuana lawsuit, calling the charges “frivolous” and “baseless.” The accusation arose last week in a motion seeking sanctions against Schmitt’s office and the Missouri […]
Medical marijuana lawsuit: Missouri health department illegally concealed documents
A Missouri family that sued after being denied a medical marijuana license is alleging the state department of health and Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office illegally concealed documents and violated open records laws in order to undercut their lawsuit. The allegations — which are included in a 28-page motion seeking sanctions against the state that […]
‘Big money bat signal’: Galloway campaign accused of sidestepping ban on coordination
In late September, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Nicole Galloway’s campaign laid out a stinging critique of Gov. Mike Parson’s health care record on a section of its website titled “Important Election Update.” Parson “cut 100,000 kids from their health care,” the site declared, “and he opposes Medicaid expansion that would give 250,000 working people health care […]
Introducing The Missouri Independent: ‘Detectives for the people’
Legendary New York muckraker Wayne Barrett was once asked to explain to his son’s elementary school what it meant to be an investigative journalist. He quipped, “We are detectives for the people.” That line always stuck with me. Look: I’ve been a journalist my entire adult life, from my stint covering county government for an […]