MISSOURI
      Nov. 3, 2020 Governor

Gov.
 Sen.1
 Sen.3
2022

x
2021


2020


2019


2018
x
2017


2016
 x
x
2015


2014


2013


2012
 x x
2011


2010

x
2009


2008


2007


2006


2005


2004


2003


2002
special
2001


2000


1999


1998


1997


1996


1995


1994


1993


1992


1991


1990


1989



+Mike Parson (R) i
 1,720,202
 57.11%
Nicole Galloway (D)
 1,225,771
 41.41%
Rik Combs (L)
 49,067
 1.63%
Jerome Bauer (G)
 17,234
 0.57%
write-ins
 13

3,012,287
Registered voters: 4,318,758.  Actual voters: 3,026,028.
Plurality: 494,431 votes (15.70 percentage points).
 MO Secretary of State



Notes: Gov. Mike Parson (R) who assumed office on June 1, 2018 following the resignation of Gov. Eric Greitens (R), won a full term, defeating State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D).  Parson carried 112 of 116 election jurisdictions (all except Boone Co., Kansas City, St. Louis City and St. Louis Co.).  Republicans won all statewide races. 

The Aug. 5 primaries were not competitive; Parson garnered 74.9% of the vote and Galloway 84.6%.
 
For the general election all four candidates participated in a 90-minute debate at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia on Oct. 9 (1, 2); the forum was organized by the Missouri Press Association and KOMU 8.  The candidates, four panelists, and moderator David Lieb of the Associated Press were widely separated on the large stage and the theater was mostly empty.  The event was initially scheduled for Sept. 25.  The format was one-minute opening statements, one-minute responses and two-minute closing statements.  Parson emphasized his experience including his humble beginnings, Christian values, moral values and work ethic, noting his two tours in the U.S. Army, service as a local sheriff, work as small business owner and farmer, and family life as a husband, father and a grandparent.  Galloway argued, "Governor Parson has been part of the broken system for years, that delivers for insiders. He asks what's in it for himself, while Missourians struggle."  Rik Combs called for "limited government, smaller government, more efficient government, free enterprise always, and to protect private property."  Jerome Bauer focused on universal health care and disability rights.

A "tempest in a teapot" arose in Sept. 2020 when Liberty Alliance USA, a conservative nonprofit, filed a complaint against Galloway charging that she had misused her office for campaign purposes when one of her press aides had submitted an op-ed on the state's new abortion law back in June 2019.  This led to an investigation by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and a lot of press ink flowed.  A week after the election Ashcroft found there was no probable cause to believe a violation had occurred.

Outside groups were very active.  On April 14, 2020 the Republican Governors Association announced that its affiliate RGA Missouri 2020 PAC would partner with Uniting Missouri PAC, including "an initial transfer of $500,000 to Uniting Missouri, as well as a $20,000 contribution to the Missouri Republican Party."  Ultimately RGA Missouri 2020 PAC reported contributions totaling $14,720,251.  A Stronger Missouri, a PAC established on June 5, 2020 to support Galloway, spent $11,731,223. 

According to the National Institute on Money in State Politics (>), Galloway outraised Parson by $6,976,773 to $5,752,241.



Campaign Managers:
Mike Parson: Steele Shippy
(Aug. 2019)  Communications director to Gov. Parson, June 2018-Aug. 2019.  Deputy chief of staff to MOSOS Jay Ashcroft, Nov. 2016-June 2018.  Campaign manager (Victory Enterprises) on Ashcroft for Missouri Secretary of State, Mar.-Nov. 2016.  Executive assistant to candidate on Mike Huckabee for President, Inc., Jan. 2015-Feb. 2016.  Director of operations at Victory Enterprises, July 2012-Dec. 2014.  B.S. in political science and government from University of Missouri-Columbia, 2011.

Nicole Galloway: Chris Sloan
(Oct. 2019)  Campaign manager on Steve Sisolak for Governor, July 2018-Oct. 2019.  Director of government affairs (Oct. 2009-July 2018) at IUPAT Finishing Trades Institute and international legislative representative at IUPAT (Jan. 2008-Oct. 2009).  Master's degree from GSPM at The George Washington University, 2014; bachelor's degree in political science and government from Earlham College, 2007.


See also:
Misouri Ethics Commission.

KMOV.com staff.  "Fact checking PAC ad attacking Nicole Galloway."  KMOV, Sept. 5, 2020.

Jack Suntrup.  "Emily's List spends $750,000 on Missouri governor's race; Galloway touts Biden endorsement."  St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sept. 14, 2020.

Benjamin Brink, Minh Connors, Noah Crider, Paul Schloesser and William Skipworth.  "They said what? Fact-checking the Missouri governor debate."  Missourian, Oct. 9, 2020.

Jack Suntrup.  "National money targets Missouri governor's race."  St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Oct. 16, 2020.

Kaitlyn Schallhorn. "Ashcroft: 'No probable cause' to find Galloway misused office."  The Missouri Times, Nov. 12, 2020.







ADVERTISEMENT