UPDATE: Richardson upset, Thompson wins nominee for prosecutor
UPDATE: Republican challenger Locke Thompson has beaten out incumbent Mark Richardson for the nomination for Cole County Prosecuting Attorney, according to unofficial results with 100% of precincts reporting.
“I’ll move on to other opportunities,” Richardson told ABC 17 News after final polling report was issued Tuesday. “I want to thank the people for allowing me to serve them. It’s a time that I treasure and value with the citizens of Cole County.”
“It’s kind of a surreal feeling,” Thompson said Tuesday. The first-time candidate partly credited his door-to-door efforts, primarily regarding the opioid epidemic in Missouri, to his success in the primary.
The vote was split 48.3% to 51.62% to Richardson and Thompson, respectively. Thomspon won by 468 votes.
Thompson will face the sole democratic candidate, Deidre “DK” Hirner, for the office in November.
ORIGINAL: The race for the Republican nomination for the Cole County prosecutor’s office will be decided by voters Tuesday.
Mark Richardson, who has been in office since 2006, is running for his fourth term. His opponent is former Assistant State Attorney General Locke Thompson.
Thompson worked in the public safety section of State Attorney General Josh Hawley’s office for 13 months, ending in March 2018.
According to the Missouri Ethics Commission, Thompson’s campaign committee has recorded $74,192 in expenditures since its formation in March. Richardson’s campaign committee has recorded $5,461 since forming in April.
