“Our worst nightmare” is how one prominent Missouri Republican characterized the scenario of controversial former Gov. Eric Greitens winning the GOP primary for the seat of retiring Republican Sen. Roy Blunt.
Having resigned from the governorship in 2020 as fellow Republicans controlling the legislature planned to impeach him over an extramarital affair and misuse of campaign funds, Greitens would almost surely have been the Republican most likely to lose to Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine in the fall.
But it was not to be. With nearly 44% of the vote, stalwart conservative and state Attorney General Eric Schmitt easily topped the six-candidate primary. Placing second was Rep. Vickie Hartzler (22%), with Greitens in third place with 19%.
Largely based on name recognition, Greitens led in much of the early polling. But a much-publicized charge in May from former wife Sheena that he had been “physically abusive” to her and their two children jolted the former governor’s candidacy.
In June, former Trump White House personnel chief Johnny DeStefano, a Missourian, cobbled together the Show Me Values political action committee to publicize what it called Greitens “scandal after scandal.” The group was underwritten by Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield, two of the state’s biggest GOP contributors, and other monied Republicans — all of whom were also supporters of Schmitt.
Less than 24 hours before the primary, there were reports that former President Donald Trump, having vowed never to support Hartzler (reportedly for writing a constituent to condemn the January 6 protestors), would back Schmitt.
As it turned out, he issued a bizarre statement declaring, “I am therefore proud to announce that Eric has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
But he never specified whether it was Greitens or Schmitt he was supporting, although both claimed his backing and thanked him publicly.
In the end, it didn’t matter. Schmitt rolled up big margins in the greater St. Louis area as well as Cape Girardeau (Rush Limbaugh’s birthplace) and Taney County, which is in the 7th District (Springfield) of another Senate candidate, Rep. Billy Long.
He is expected to win big in the fall.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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