ELECTION UPDATES: Trudy Busch Valentine projected to win Democratic U.S. Senate primary
LINK: Complete election results
Trudy Busch Valentine, a nurse and philanthropist who entered Missouri’s Democratic primary in the U.S. Senate race late, will move on to November after defeating Marine veteran Lucas Kunce and nine others on Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
Valentine, who so far has largely self-funded her campaign, will be the underdog against Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt in November in red-state Missouri.
Republican Sen. Roy Blunt’s announcement last year that he would not seek a third term set off a frenzy for his job, with nearly three dozen people in the two major parties filing to run.
The Democratic race drew only a scant portion of the attention of the Republican side, largely because of the presence of Greitens, whose political career seemed over after he resigned four years ago in the midst of a sex scandal, criminal accusations and the very real risk of impeachment.
-- The Associated Press
Alford wins Republican nomination in Fourth Congressional District
Mark Alford interview
Republican Mark Alford has won his party's primary in the Fourth Congressional District.
The Associated Press projected Alford, a former Kansas City TV newsman who urged an investigation into the 2020 election and emphasized his Christian faith in his campaign, to triumph in the seven-candidate field. The Republican primary included former Boone County clerk Taylor Burks, state Sen. Rick Brattin and Kalena Bruce, who was endorsed by Gov. Mike Parson.
With 327 of 353 precincts in, Alford had 36% of the vote. Brattin was in second with 21%, with Bruce third at 15% and Burks fourth at 10%.
The AP also projected Bethany Mann to win the Democratic nomination in the Third Congressional District. Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer easily won his party's primary in the Third District.
Lovelady wins Columbia City Council's Third Ward
Challenger Roy Lovelady defeated incumbent Karl Skala the second time around to take the Third Ward Columbia City Council seat Tuesday.
The repeat of April's tied election saw Lovelady get 1,419 votes to Skala's 1,269 once all precints were in.
In the race for Division 10 associate circuit judge in Boone County, Kayla Jackson-Williams won by about 200 votes over Angela Peterson, 7,367-7,174.
Adrian Plank looks likely to be the next 47th District state representative, beating out Chimene Schwach 2,325 to 2,277 in the Democratic primary. No other party fielded any candidates in the district.
Connie Leipard will take on Democrat Kip Kendrick in November for Boone County presiding commissioner after she beat James Pounds in the Republican primary.
Boone County voters went against the state in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, picking their U.S. representative, Vicky Hartzler, over Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Schmitt won the primary statewide. On the Democratic side, Boone County voters favored Lucas Kunce for Senate by a wide margin, though Trudy Busch Valentine had a lead statewide.
AP projects Schmitt to win Republican nomination for U.S. Senate
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt will take the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, the Associated Press projected Tuesday.
Schmitt was projected to garner the most votes, beating out former governor Eric Greitens and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the closely watched race. The winner will go on to face Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine or Lucas Kunce in November.
Schmitt had about 41% of the vote with 918 of 3,592 precincts in.
The AP has also projected U.S. Reps. Jason Smith and Blaine Luetkemeyer to win the Republican nominations in the Eighth and Third Congressional Districts, respectively. Incumbent Republican U.S. rep. Sam Graves is expected to win his party's nomination in the Sixth Congressional District, as well.
Schmitt victory speech
Clip of Hartzler concession speech
Presiding commissioner retains seat in Callaway County
Callaway County's presiding commissioner fended off a challenge from within his own party Tuesday.
Gary Jungermann narrowly defeated Dustin Craighead in the Republican primary. No other parties fielded candidates for Callaway County presiding commissioner.
In the highest-profile race on the ballot, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt dominated Callaway County's Republican ballots for U.S. Senate with 42% of the vote. The next highest vote-getter was U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler with 30%. Former governor Eric Greitens had 18% in the 21-candidate field.
Lucas Kunce took the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Callaway County with nearly 42% of the vote to Trudy Busch Valentine's 41%.
Big leads for Alford, Schmitt, Valentine in primary; Luetkemeyer wins
Mark Alford has established a large lead early on in the Republican primary for the Fourth Congressional District.
The former Kansas City TV newsman had more than 39% of the vote in the seven-candidate field with 104 of 353 precincts in. The next closest candidate was state Sen. Rick Brattin with 18% of the vote. Boone County candidate Taylor Burks had 10%.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt was leading big in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Schmitt had 42% of the vote with 316 of 3,592 precincts in. U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler was in second place with about 25% of the vote, with former governor Eric Greitens pulling in about 21%.
Trudy Busch Valentine had a commanding lead in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, with 49% of the vote compared to 30% for Lucas Kunce.
The Associated Press called the Republican primary in the Third Congressional District primary for incumbent U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.
Race remains tight in Columbia's Third Ward
The second run of the race for Third Ward on the Columbia City Council remained tight Tuesday with two-thirds of precincts reporting.
Incumbent Karl Skala had 816 votes to 838 for challenger Roy Lovelady. The two tied on the April ballot, and Tuesday's special election was meant to settle the race.
The Democratic primary for Division 10 associate circuit judge was also tight. Angela Peterson had a narrow lead with 3,442 votes to Kayla Jackson-Williams' 3,324 with 20 of 50 precincts reporting.
In the Republican primary for presiding commissioner, Connie Leipard had more than 2,900 votes to James Pounds' 1,420 with 20 of 48 precincts in. The winner will go on to face Democrat Kip Kendrick in November.
Moniteau County picks prosecutor
Derik Kinde won the race for Moniteau County prosecuting attorney on Tuesday.
With no other parties fielding candidates for the November general election, Kinde is expected to be the next prosecuting attorney.
Kinde took 66% of the vote, versus 23% for Ann Perry and 11% for Kimberly Kollmeyer.
U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler carried the county in the highly watched Republican U.S. Senate primary with 47% of the vote. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt came in second with 32% and former governor Eric Greitens came in third with 15%. Republican U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer easily won the county in his reelection bid in the Third Congressional District.
More than one-third of Cole County results in
Cole County has reported 11 of 29 precincts.
With more than a third of the precincts counted, Mark Eichholz was in the lead for the Republican nomination for circuit clerk with 55% of the vote to Dawnel Davidson's 45%. No Democrats filed for circuit clerk, meaning the winner will not face opposition in November.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt was in the lead in Cole County in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate with 40% of the vote. U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler had 35% of the vote and former governor Eric Greitens had 16% of the vote. U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer had a commanding lead in the Republican primary for his House seat.
Incumbent state Sen. Mike Bernskoetter held a large lead in his Republican primary over challenger Scott Riedel. Bernskoetter had 71% of the vote with 11 of 29 precincts in.
State Rep. Rudy Veit held a large lead in his Republican primary for the 59th House District as well.
Lucas Kunce had 50% of the vote in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in the county where he grew up, compared to 32% for Trudy Busch Valentine.
Burks leads absentees in his home county, Boone
Former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks led the field in the Republican primary for the Fourth Congressional District among absentee voters in his home county on Tuesday.
Burks captured 110 absentee Boone County votes in the seven-candidate field to replace U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler. State Sen. Rick Brattin was second with 53.
Hartzler took the biggest share of absentee votes in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate while Lucas Kunce led the Democrats.
Adrian Plank garnered 219 absentee votes to 191 for Chimene Schwach in the Democratic primary for the 47th House District.
In the historic special election in Columbia's Ward 3, incumbent Karl Skala and Roy Lovelady were separated by just three votes -- 99 to 102 -- with absentees in.
Callaway, Cole counties among first to post absentee results
Callaway and Cole counties were among the first in Mid-Missouri to post absentee results for the August primary election.
In the most-watched race in the state, U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler took 44% of the vote in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Callaway County and 46% among absentees in Cole. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt was second with 31% in Callaway and 32% in Cole, and former governor Eric Greitens pulled in 14% in Callaway and 13% in Cole.
In Callaway County's Republican race for presiding commission, incumbent Gary Jungermann had a 56% to 44% lead on challenger Dustin Craighead. The primary will decide that race, as no other party fielded candidates. Blaine Luetkemeyer held a large lead in the Republican primary for the Third Congressional District and Travis Fitzwater was in the lead in the Republican primary for the 10th Senate District.
Luetkemeyer enjoyed a similarly large lead among Cole County absentees. Incumbent state Sen. Mike Bernskoetter also held a large lead in the Sixth Senate District. Mark Eichholz was leading in the Republican primary for circuit clerk.
Lucas Kunce led absentee polling in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in each county.
Boone County turnout percentage hits 17.5% two hours before polls close
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon tweeted out that voter turnout in Boone County is now 17.5%, two hours before polls close.
Boone County unofficial voter turnout as of 5pm: 17.5%
— Boone County Clerk (@voteboonemo) August 2, 2022
Polls are open til 7pm.
🗳⏳ https://t.co/6U46XeP5ha
The latest update shows a 5.5% increase since the last update at 2 p.m.
Boone County Ward Three voters are going to the polls to help break the tie for the Columbia City Council Ward Three race between candidate Roy Lovelady and incumbent Karl Skala.
The duo tied in April with 1,102 votes each.
Boone County turnout percentage hits double digits
Voter turnout in Boone County exceeded the 10% threshold but remained well below the projected level early Tuesday afternoon.
County Clerk Brianna Lennon pegged turnout at 12% at about 2 p.m. Predictions called for a 30 to 35% turnout in Tuesday's primary election. The big races on the ballot are the Republican and Democratic primaries for U.S. Senate. Lucas Kunce and Trudy Busch Valentine lead the Democratic ballot, with the Republican race a contest between Eric Greitens, Eric Schmitt and Vicky Hartzler, according to observers.
Voters will also pick party nominees in the Third, Fourth and Sixth congressional districts in Mid-Missouri, along with some state legislative races. More on those races is available on the Your Voice Your Vote page.
Polls close at 7 p.m. Full results will be posted as they come in tonight on ABC 17's election results page.
