A number of candidates and issues on the Missouri ballot turned out to be nail-biters while other races and issues surprised political pundits. One of those was a ballot measure to remove statues of American President Andrew Jackson. Residents in Jackson County resoundly rejected cancel culture, voting 72 to 28 percent to keep two statues of Andrew Jackson, namesake of the county.
Other races were not so decisively decided:
- About 52 percent of Missouri voters voted against Amendment 1. The proposed change to the state Constitution would have restricted the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor and attorney general to two terms. Currently, the governor and state treasurer are the only statewide office holders with a two-term limit.
- Amendment 3 has prevailed in Missouri. The count was close. About 51 percent of Missouri voters favored overturning a redistricting plan they endorsed in 2018. Amendment 3 will ensure that redistricting is not done by one bureaucrat appointed by Democrat auditor Nichole Galloway.
- The race for the second district congressional district seat was not as close as some had anticipated. Republican Ann Wagner of Ballwin will remain in Congress. She gained about 52 percent of the vote compared to Creve Coeur Democrat Jill Schupp’s 45 percent.
- Republican Rick Roeber of Lee’s Summit won by 345 votes in the House District 34 race against Democrat Chris Hager. Roeber earned about 51 percent of the vote to Hager’s 49 percent
- Missouri Senate Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, and Democrat Judy Baker were locked in a tight battle all night for the 19th District Senatorial seat. About 52 percent of the voters chose to keep Rowden in office.
- In the Missouri House District 135 race, prominent Republican Rep. Steve Helms of Springfield lost by 34 votes to Democrat Betsy Fogle. The race is within the margin that gives Helms the opportunity to request a recount.
- Cori Bush, Black Lives Matter activist in St. Louis, made history by becoming the first black woman to represent Missouri in Congress by winning the First Congressional District seat. The seat has been Democrat for decades.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice