MISSOURI
      Nov. 8, 2016 Governor

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+Eric Greitens (R)
 1,433,397
 51.14%
Chris Koster (D)
 1,277,360
 45.57%
Cisse W Spragins (L)
 41,154
 1.47%
Lester Turilli Jr. (I) 30,019
 1.07%
Don Fitz (G)
 21,088
 0.75%
write-ins (3)
 28

2,803,046
Registered voters: 4,223,787.  Highest office turnout: 2,811,549.
Plurality: 156,037 votes (5.57 percentage points).
 MO Sec. of State



REPUBLICAN PICK-UP
Notes: Gov. Jay Nixon (D) was term-limited.  Former Navy SEAL and CEO of The Mission Continues Eric Greitens (R), running as an outsider, defeated Attorney General Chris Koster (D).  Also running in the general election were Cisse Spragins, Ph.D (L), an entrepreneur and former state party chair, Don Fitz (G), and businessman Lester Turilli Jr. (I).

In the Aug. 2 primaries, four candidates competed for the Republican nomination (>).  Greitens won the GOP primary with 34.6% of the vote, defeating St. Louis businessman John Brunner (24.8%), Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (20.7%) and former state House Speaker and U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway (20.0%).  Koster faced only token opposition for the Democratic nomination.  

In the general election, all five candidates participated in the Missouri Press Association forum at the group's convention in Branson on Sept. 30.  Negotiations for more debates stalled.

According to the Center for Public Integrity, including the primary, more money was spent on TV advertising in the Missouri governor race than in any other gubernatorial race this cycle.  94,986 ads were run between Jan. 1, 2015 and Nov. 8, 2016 at an estimated cost of $36.8 million (North Carolina was second at $34.7 million).  The Center also reported, "The Republican Governors Association alone poured $13 million into Greitens' campaign, the second highest contribution the group has ever given in a single year." (>).
Campaign Managers:
Eric Greitens: Austin Chambers
Experience includes political director on David Perdue's 2014 campaign for U.S. Senate in Georgia.  Georgia native.  See: Rachael Herndon Dunn. "Austin Chambers: Missouri is the backdrop for another national political star."  The Missouri Times, Dec. 30, 2016.

Chris Koster: Andrew Whalen
Campaign manager on Sheheen for South Carolina, May 2013-Nov. 2014.  National political director for the Blue Dog Coalition, 2011-Feb. 2013.  Coordinated Campaign director for the North Carolina Democratic Party, June-Nov. 2012.  Deputy chief of staff and senior advisor in the U.S. House, Jan.-Aug. 2011.  Consultant for Equality NC, Feb.-May 2011.  Executive director for the North Carolina Democratic Party, April 2009-Jan. 2011. Communications director for U.S. Rep. Shuler, Jan. 2007-April 2009.  Campaign manager on Heath Shuler for Congress (NC) re-election, June-Nov. 2008.  Deputy campaign manager and communications director on Heath Shuler for Congress, Feb.-Nov. 2006.  Delegate races in Virginia, 2005-06.  Communications director on Jon Jennings for Congress, July 2003-Nov. 2004.  B.A. in history from Denison University, 2003.


See also:
Travis Zimpfer.  "Koster suspends debate negotiations over lack of tax info from Greitens."  The Missouri Times, Oct. 4, 2016.





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