COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters have nominated Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe to be the Republican candidate for governor, making the governor’s race his to lose.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Jefferson City, Kehoe described himself as an “underdog” and said people doubted his campaign from the start.
“We proved, once again, the American dream is still alive,” Kehoe said.
Kehoe edged out Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and state Sen. Bill Eigel to win the GOP nomination, a huge advantage in a strongly conservative state currently without any Democratic statewide officials.
Kehoe will face off in the general election against state House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, who won the Democratic nomination. She immediately framed herself as “a champion of reproductive freedom and access to abortion” in a Tuesday statement, linking her gubernatorial bid to a November ballot measure that would restore abortion in the state.
Abortion is currently banned in Missouri at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions.
“Missourians deserve a governor who will fight for working families — a leader who will restore our rights, not strip us of them,” Quade said. “Missourians are sick of the extremism, sick of the government overreach of their rights.”
Republican Gov. Mike Parson is barred from seeking reelection by term limits.
