2024 Missouri gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2024 United States gubernatorial elections.

2024 Missouri gubernatorial election

November 5, 2024

Nominee Mike Kehoe Crystal Quade Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,738,063 1,136,999 Percentage 59.12% 38.68%

County results Kehoe:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Quade:      50–60%      70–80%

Governor before election Mike Parson Republican Elected Governor Mike Kehoe Republican

The 2024 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of Missouri, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Mike Parson was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a second full term in office due to having served more than two years of predecessor Eric Greitens' unexpired term following his resignation in June 2018. The Republican nominee, incumbent lieutenant governor Mike Kehoe, defeated the Democratic nominee, minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives Crystal Quade, to succeed Parson.

Primary elections took place on August 6, 2024.^[1] Mike Kehoe, the incumbent lieutenant governor, won the Republican nomination, while Crystal Quade, the Minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives, won the Democratic nomination.^[2] Kehoe defeated Quade in the general election with 59.2 percent of the vote.^[3]

A former bellwether state, Missouri has politically trended rightward in recent years and is today a Republican stronghold at both the federal and state levels. The last Democrat to hold the office of governor in Missouri was Jay Nixon, who comfortably won re-election in 2012. In 2020, Parson won by 16.41%, the first time a Republican gubernatorial candidate won by a double-digit margin since John Ashcroft's landslide re-election in 1988. Major news organizations predicted that the state would elect another Republican governor in 2024.^[4]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Mike Kehoe, Lieutenant Governor of Missouri (2018–present)^[5]

Eliminated in primary

• Jay Ashcroft, Missouri Secretary of State (2017–present) and son of former governor John Ashcroft^[6]
• Bill Eigel, state senator from the 23rd district (2017–present)^[7]
• Darren Grant^[8]
• Jeremy Gundel, write-in candidate for lieutenant governor in 2020^[8]
• Darrell McClanahan, stay-at-home parent, honorary KKK member, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022^[9]
• Robert Olson, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022^[8]
• Amber Thomsen^[8]
• Chris Wright, businessman and former police officer^[8]

Endorsements

Jay Ashcroft

Executive Branch officials

• Donald Trump, former president of the United States (co-endorsement with Eigel and Kehoe)^[10]

Statewide officials

• Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas^[11]

Organizations

• Missouri Right to Life^[12]

Bill Eigel

Executive Branch officials

• Donald Trump, former president of the United States (co-endorsement with Ashcroft and Kehoe)^[10]

U.S. representatives

• Matt Gaetz, U.S. representatives from Florida's 1st congressional district^[13]

Mike Kehoe

Executive Branch officials

• Donald Trump, former president of the United States (co-endorsement with Ashcroft and Eigel)^[10]

Statewide officials

• Mike Parson, incumbent governor of Missouri^[14]

Labor unions

• Fire Fighter Association of Missouri^[15]
• Missouri Fraternal Order of Police^[16]

Organizations

• American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri^[17]
• Associated General Contractors of Missouri^[18]
• Missouri Automobile Dealers Association^[18]
• Missouri Cattlemen Association^[19]
• Missouri Chamber of Commerce^[20]
• Missouri Corn Growers Association^[18]
• Missouri Farm Bureau^[21]
• Missouri Forest Products Association^[22]
• Missouri Hospital Association^[23]
• Missouri Soybean Association^[19]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jay Ashcroft	Bill Eigel	Mike Kehoe	Other	Undecided
Battleground Connect[24][A]	July 30–31, 2024	896 (LV)	± 3.1%	26%	17%	26%	16%[b]	15%
Remington Research Group[25][A]	July 22–24, 2024	500 (LV)	–	29%	18%	29%	–	24%
29%	13%	18%	–	40%
ARW Strategies (R)[26]	June 27–30, 2024	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	19%	19%	24%	–	38%
Remington Research (R)[27][A]	June 19–20, 2024	701 (LV)	± 3.6%	31%	9%	29%	–	31%
Emerson College[28]	June 17–19, 2024	1,000 (RV)	± 3.0%	23%	6%	20%	5%[c]	46%
American Viewpoint[29][B]	June 2–4, 2024	800 (LV)	-	27%	16%	27%	-	30%
Peak Insights[30]	May 15–18, 2024	400 (LV)	± 5.0%	22%	14%	20%	-	42%
American Viewpoint[29][B]	May 13–15, 2024	600 (LV)	-	33%	12%	23%	-	32%
Tyson Group[31][C]	April 23–26, 2024	504 (LV)	± 4.3%	36%	3%	11%	9%[d]	40%
YouGov/Saint Louis University[32]	February 14–26, 2024	414 (LV)	± 5.54%	28%	8%	10%	4%[e]	49%
Remington Research (R)[33][A]	February 14–15, 2024	706 (LV)	± 3.6%	35%	5%	22%	–	38%
ARW Strategies (R)[34]	February 5–7, 2024	611 (V)	± 3.96%	36%	13%	13%	–	38%
Remington Research (R)[35][A]	January 18–19, 2024	806 (LV)	± 3.3%	34%	4%	20%	–	42%
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (LV)	± 4.9%	18%	6%	19%	–	49%
Remington Research (R)[37][A]	September 27–28, 2023	714 (LV)	± 3.4%	32%	5%	15%	–	48%
Remington Research (R)[38][A]	July 5–7, 2023	706 (LV)	± 3.4%	34%	4%	14%	–	38%
Remington Research (R)[39][A]	November 15–16, 2022	940 (LV)	± 3.0%	44%	4%	10%	–	42%
Public Opinion Strategies (R)[40][D]	March 8–10, 2022	500 (LV)	± 4.4%	54%	–	19%	8%	19%

Debates

Dates	Location	Ashcroft	Eigel	Kehoe	Link
July 25, 2024	St. Louis	Participant	Participant	Absent	YouTube

Results

Results by county:

Kehoe

•   >60%
•   50–60%
•   40–50%
•   30–40%

Eigel

•   >50%
•   40–50%
•   30–40%

Ashcroft

•   30–40%

Kehoe secured a modest victory, carrying 88 counties, as well as the city of St. Louis. He performed the best in Shelby County, while Eigel, the runner-up, earned his best result in Grundy County. Finally, Ashcroft narrowly surpassed Kehoe in Greene County.^[41]

Republican primary results^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Kehoe	274,840	39.4
	Republican	Bill Eigel	227,012	32.6
	Republican	Jay Ashcroft	162,086	23.2
	Republican	Amber Thomsen	10,627	1.5
	Republican	Chris Wright	9,358	1.3
	Republican	Darrell McClanahan	5,637	0.8
	Republican	Robert Olson	2,975	0.4
	Republican	Jeremy Gundel	2,946	0.4
	Republican	Darren Grant	1,866	0.3
Total votes			697,347	100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Crystal Quade, Minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives (2019–present) from the 132nd district (2017–present)^[43]

Eliminated in primary

• Sheryl Gladney, customer service agent^[8]
• Mike Hamra, restaurant conglomerate owner^[44]
• Hollis Laster^[8]
• Eric Morrison, pastor and candidate for governor in 2016 and 2020^[8]

Disqualified

• Sarah Unsicker, state representative from the 83rd district^[45]

Endorsements

Mike Hamra

Newspapers

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch^[46]

Crystal Quade

Statewide officials

• Bob Holden, former governor of Missouri (2001–2005)^[47]
• Jason Kander, former Missouri secretary of state (2013–2017)^[47]

State legislators

• 40 state legislators^[48]

Organizations

• Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes^[47]
• National Women's Political Caucus^[49]
• Sierra Club of Missouri^[50]

Labor unions

• IBEW Missouri State Conference^[51]
• Missouri AFL-CIO^[52]
• SEIU Missouri/Kansas State Council^[51]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Sheryl Gladney	Mike Hamra	Crystal Quade	Other	Undecided
Remington Research Group[53]	July 10–22, 2024	600 (LV)	± 3.8%	4%	23%	21%	9%	43%
YouGov/Saint Louis University[32]	February 14–26, 2024	396 (LV)	± 5.57%	4%	5%	21%	4%	66%
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	–	2%	39%	–	58%

Results

Results by county:

Quade

•   60–70%
•   50–60%
•   40–50%
•   30–40%

Hamra

•   50-60%
•   40–50%
•   30–40%
•   20–30%

Tie

•   20–30%

Quade led the race, winning slightly more than half of the votes, as well as 90 county equivalents out of 115.^[f] She performed the best in Greene County, where the city of Springfield is located. Conversely, Hamra recorded his best result in Harrison County, with some more than 50% of the vote. Morrison failed to win a single county, but still managed to tie Pemiscot County, earning as many votes there as Hamra did.^[54]

Democratic primary results^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Crystal Quade	189,822	50.2
	Democratic	Mike Hamra	119,702	31.7
	Democratic	Eric Morrison	36,985	9.8
	Democratic	Sheryl Gladney	25,287	6.7
	Democratic	Hollis Laster	5,973	1.6
Total votes			377,769	100.0

Third-party and independent candidates

Declared

• Paul Lehman (Green), farmer and nominee for secretary of state in 2020^[8]
• Bill Slantz (Libertarian), former chair of the Missouri Libertarian Party, perennial candidate, and nominee for governor in 2020^[8]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[55]	Solid R	June 13, 2024
Inside Elections[56]	Solid R	July 14, 2023
Sabato's Crystal Ball[57]	Safe R	June 4, 2024
RCP[58]	Likely R	July 13, 2024
Elections Daily[59]	Safe R	July 12, 2023
CNalysis[60]	Solid R	August 17, 2024

Post-primary endorsements

Crystal Quade (D)

Newspapers

• The Kansas City Star^[61]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Mike Kehoe (R)	Crystal Quade (D)	Other	Undecided
Research Co.[62]	November 2–3, 2024	450 (LV)	± 4.6%	52%	38%	3%	7%
Remington Research Group[63][A]	October 28–29, 2024	721 (LV)	–	51%	40%	1%[g]	8%
ActiVote[64]	October 11–27, 2024	400 (LV)	± 4.9%	58%	42%	–	–
Remington Research Group[65][A]	October 2–3, 2024	753 (LV)	± 3.2%	51%	41%	1%[h]	7%
ActiVote[66]	September 3 – October 1, 2024	400 (LV)	± 4.9%	60%	40%	–	–
Emerson College[67][E]	September 12–13, 2024	850 (LV)	± 3.3%	52%	36%	1%[i]	11%
Remington Research Group[68][A]	September 4–5, 2024	940 (LV)	–	52%	34%	–	14%
YouGov/Saint Louis University[69]	August 8–16, 2024	900 (LV)	± 3.79%	51%	41%	3%[j]	6%
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	38%	33%	–	29%

Hypothetical polling

Jay Ashcroft vs. Crystal Quade

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jay Ashcroft (R)	Crystal Quade (D)	Other	Undecided
Remington Research (R)[70][A]	March 6–8, 2024	713 (LV)	± 3.9%	53%	36%	–	11%
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	39%	34%	–	27%

Bill Eigel vs. Crystal Quade

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Bill Eigel (R)	Crystal Quade (D)	Other	Undecided
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	33%	34%	–	33%

Mike Kehoe vs. Mike Hamra

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Mike Kehoe (R)	Mike Hamra (D)	Other	Undecided
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	37%	27%	–	36%

Jay Ashcroft vs. Mike Hamra

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jay Ashcroft (R)	Mike Hamra (D)	Other	Undecided
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	39%	29%	–	32%

Bill Eigel vs. Mike Hamra

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Bill Eigel (R)	Mike Hamra (D)	Other	Undecided
Show Me Victories (D)[36]	October 26–31, 2023	407 (RV)	± 4.9%	33%	30%	–	37%

Debate

2024 Missouri gubernatorial election debate

No.	Date	Host	Moderator	Link	Republican	Democratic	Libertarian	Green
Key:  P  Participant   A  Absent   N  Not invited   I  Invited  W  Withdrawn
					Kehoe	Quade	Slantz	Lehmann
1	Sep. 20, 2024	Missouri Press Association	David Lieb	YouTube	P	P	P	P

Results

2024 Missouri gubernatorial election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Kehoe	1,738,063	59.12%	+2.01%
	Democratic	Crystal Quade	1,136,999	38.68%	−2.01%
	Libertarian	Bill Slantz	40,627	1.38%	−0.25%
	Green	Paul Lehmann	22,136	0.75%	+0.18%
	Write-in		1,891	0.06%	n/a
Total votes			2,939,716	100.00%

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. Darrell McClanahan III with 7%; Amber Thomsen with 4%; Jeremy Gundel with 2%; Robert Olson, Chris Wright, and Darren Grant with 1%
3. Robert Olson with 2%; Darrell McClanahan, Amber Thomsen and Chris Wright with 1%; Darren Grant and Jeremy Gundel with 0%
4. Amber Thomsen with 3%; Darren Grant and Robert Olsen with 2%; Jeremy Grundel and Chris Wright with 1%
5. Chris Wright with 3%; "Other" with 1%
6. Missouri is made up of 114 counties and the independent city of St. Louis
7. Slantz (L) with 1%
8. Slantz (L) with 1%
9. "Someone else" with 1%
10. "Other" with 3%

Partisan clients

1. Poll commissioned by the Missouri Scout
2. Poll commissioned by the American Dream PAC, which supports Kehoe
3. Poll sponsored by Building America's Future
4. Poll sponsored by Committee for Liberty PAC, which supports Ashcroft
5. Poll sponsored by The Hill

References

1. "2024 State Primary Election Dates". www.ncsl.org. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
2. "Missouri Governor Primary Election Results". The New York Times. August 6, 2024. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
3. "Missouri Governor Election Results 2024: Quade vs. Kehoe". The New York Times. November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
4. "270toWin - 2024 Presidential Election Interactive Map". 270toWin.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
5. Hancock, Jason (March 22, 2021). "Mike Kehoe passes on 2022 Senate run to focus on 2024 Missouri governor's race". Missouri Independent. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
6. Shorman, Jonathan (April 6, 2023). "Missouri's top election official Jay Ashcroft launches Republican campaign for governor". The Kansas City Star.
7. Singer, Jeff (August 17, 2023). "Daily Kos Elections Live Digest: 8/17". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
8. "UNOFFICIAL Candidate Filing List". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
9. Krull, Ryan (February 29, 2024). "Missouri GOP Candidate for Governor Was Only 'Honorary' KKK Member". Riverfront Times. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
10. Bayless, Kacen (July 27, 2024). "Donald Trump hedges endorsement for Missouri governor, backs three major GOP candidates". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
11. "Kehoe in fundraising lead in Missouri GOP governor's race". Fox2Now. June 25, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
12. "Gubernatorial hopeful Jay Ashcroft lands key endorsement from Missouri Right to Life". www.stltoday.com. July 18, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
13. "Missouri Republican slammed for 'racist bigotry' in anti-immigrant campaign ad". The Independent. July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
14. Baechle, Shea (July 18, 2024). "Gov. Parson officially endorses Mike Kehoe for Governor". KRCG. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
15. Hays, Brady (April 5, 2022). "Fire Fighter Association of Missouri endorses Kehoe for governor". The Missouri Times. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
16. "Kehoe backed by Missouri Fraternal Order of Police in gubernatorial bid". The Missouri Times. February 28, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
17. Turner, Kelton (May 19, 2022). "Kehoe backed by American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri". Retrieved May 25, 2023.
18. "Kehoe Gains 12th Endorsement in Bid for Missouri Governor in '24". Northwest MO Info. November 28, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
19. Brady, Hays (March 22, 2022). "Missouri Agribusiness Association endorses Kehoe for governor". The Missouri Times. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
20. "Mike Kehoe gains gubernatorial endorsement from Missouri Chamber of Commerce". Springfield News-Leader. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
21. "Missouri Farm Bureau PAC endorses Mike Kehoe for Governor in 2024".
22. McFarland, Matthew (August 26, 2022). "Missouri Forest Products Association endorses Kehoe for 2024 Governor race". The Missouri Times. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
23. Lamons, Jarett (June 19, 2024). "Missouri Hospital Association endorses Mike Kehoe". The Missouri Times. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
24. Battleground Connect
25. Remington Research Group
26. ARW Strategies (R)
27. Remington Research (R)
28. Emerson College
29. American Viewpoint
30. Peak Insights
31. Tyson Group
32. YouGov/Saint Louis University
33. Remington Research (R)
34. ARW Strategies (R)
35. Remington Research (R)
36. Show Me Victories (D)
37. Remington Research (R)
38. Remington Research (R)
39. Remington Research (R)
40. Public Opinion Strategies (R)
41. "2024 Missouri Election Results". AP News. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
42. "Missouri Governor Primary Election Results 2024". The New York Times. August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
43. Sellem, Lucas (July 9, 2023). "Rep. Crystal Quade announces run for MO governor". KMOV. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
44. Keller, Rudi (October 27, 2023). "Springfield businessman Mike Hamra joins Democratic race for Missouri governor". Missouri Independent. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
45. Ballentine, Summer (February 27, 2024). "Exiled Missouri lawmaker blocked from running for governor as a Democrat". The Associated Press. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
46. "Editorial: Our endorsements in Missouri's GOP and Democratic gubernatorial primaries". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 1, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
47. "Crystal Quade gains endorsement from Planned Parenthood in 2024 gubernatorial bid". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
48. Sundrup, Jack (October 11, 2023). "Missouri Democrat Crystal Quade could face intraparty competition in bid for governor". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
49. "Endorsed Candidates". National Women's Political Caucus. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
50. "2024 Missouri Sierra Club Election Endorsements | Sierra Club". www.sierraclub.org. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
51. Rowden, Tim (November 27, 2023). "MLabor lining up behind Crystal Quade in her bid for governor". The Labor Tribune. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
52. Alpert, Lynn (September 25, 2023). "Missouri AFL-CIO endorses Crystal Quade for governor". The Labor Tribune. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
53. Remington Research Group
54. "2024 Missouri Election Results". AP News. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
55. "2024 Governor Race ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
56. "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
57. "2024 Gubernatorial race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
58. "2024 Governor Races". www.realclearpolling.com. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
59. "Election Ratings". Elections Daily. July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
60. "Governor Forecasts". CNalysis. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
61. "The Kansas City Star's endorsement in the Nov. 5 election for Missouri governor". The Kansas City Star. October 21, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
62. Research Co.
63. Remington Research Group
64. ActiVote
65. Remington Research Group
66. ActiVote
67. Emerson College
68. Remington Research Group
69. YouGov/Saint Louis University
70. Remington Research (R)

External links

Official campaign websites

• Mike Kehoe (R) for Governor
• Crystal Quade (D) for Governor
• Bill Slantz (L) for Governor