Tony Lovasco

Tony Lovasco
Lovasco in 2019
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 64th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2019
Preceded by	Robert Cornejo
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Eva
Alma mater	Duchesne High School
Website	www.tonylovasco.com

Tony Lovasco is a Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives. He represents the 64th district, which as of 2022 encompasses a portion of northwest St. Charles county, including a northern part of Wentzville, much of northern O'Fallon, and St. Paul. Lovasco was elected to the Missouri House in November 2018.^[1]

Education and career

Lovasco is a lifelong St. Charles County resident and graduated in 2003 from Duchesne High School in St. Charles. He has attended the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Since his high school graduation, Lovasco has worked in sales for a surplus IT disposition company and has much experience with Linux deployment and maintenance.^[1]

Politics

Lovasco is active in local Republican organizations, serving as a committeeman and board member.^[1] After district 64 representative Robert Cornejo resigned in August 2018 to take a job in Governor Parson's administration, Lovasco was appointed by local Republicans to replace Cornejo on the November ballot.^[2] Lovasco defeated Democrat Shawn Finklein in the 2018 general election.^[3][4]

On May 29, 2020, Lovasco made national news when, during national protests over the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman during an arrest four days earlier, he stated on Twitter that "Looters deserve to be shot...But not by Government. #2A".^[5]

Lovasco defeated Democratic challenger Aaliyah Bailey in November 2020, with over 68 percent of the vote.^[6]

In response to the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia, Lovasco tweeted on September 9, 2021, that removal of statues of "reprehensible people" should be "fair and balanced", with an included image of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.^[7]

In January 2023, he promoted a bill titled "HB869" to the Missouri House of Representatives. The bill was to loosen the penalty for possession and use of psilocybin. The bill was not passed.^[8]

Lovasco opposes the death penalty and in 2024 sought commutation for Brian Dorsey, who was convicted of killing his cousin and her husband in 2006.^[9] Governor Parson denied clemency and Dorsey was executed in April 2024.^[10]

Lovasco lost reelection in the 2024 Republican primary to Deanna Self, a licensed professional counselor and anti-abortion activist.^[11]

Legislative assignments

As of 2024, Representative Lovasco serves on the following committees:^[3]

• House General Laws
• Downsizing State Government
• House Ways and Means
• Joint Committee on Tax Policy

In 2020, Lovasco was a member of a special committee on Criminal Justice.^[12]

Electoral history

Missouri House of Representatives — District 64 — Lincoln and St. Charles Counties (2018)^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tony Lovasco	10,538	61.55%
	Democratic	Shawn Finklein	6,583	38.45%
Total votes			17,121	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 64 — Lincoln and St. Charles Counties (2020)^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tony Lovasco	15,954	68.88%	+7.33
	Democratic	Aaliyah Bailey	7,209	31.12%	−7.33
Total votes			23,163	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives Primary Election, August 2, 2022, District 64^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tony Lovasco	1,621	36.25%
	Republican	Deanna Self	1,555	34.77%
	Republican	Mike Swaringim	1,296	28.98%
Total votes			4,472	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives Election, November 8, 2022, District 64^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tony Lovasco	10,252	100.00%	+31.12
Total votes			10,252	100.00%

References

1. "House Member biography". Missouri House of Representatives website. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
2. Erickson, Kurt (August 22, 2018). "St. Charles County lawmaker resigns, takes job in Gov. Parson's administration". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
3. "Tony Lovasco". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
4. "Election Night reporting". Missouri Secretary of State via website. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
5. Thomas, Crystal (May 29, 2020). "Missouri lawmaker tweets 'Looters deserve to be shot. But not by government' about Minneapolis uprising". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
6. "Official Results – General Election, November 03, 2020". Missouri Secretary of State. November 3, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
7. @tonylovasco (September 9, 2021). "If we insist on tearing down statues of reprehensible people, let's at least be fair and balanced about it" (Tweet). Retrieved September 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
8. "HB869". house.mo.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
9. Rosenbaum, Jason (April 5, 2024). "Missouri Rep. Tony Lovasco pushes to commute Brian Dorsey's death sentence". KSMU. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
10. Rosenbaum, Jason (April 9, 2024). "Despite widespread support for clemency, Missouri will execute death row inmate". St. Louis Public Radio. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
11. Colbert, Ethan (August 6, 2024). "Glitch delays St. Charles County results. Costlow bests Calfo in contentious GOP race". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved August 7, 2024. Tony Lovasco, R-O'Fallon, was defeated by challenger Deanna Self, a licensed professional counselor
12. Rivas, Rebecca (November 11, 2020). "Police chokeholds, no-knock warrants spark debate in Missouri House committee". Missouri Independent. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
13. "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. August 26, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
14. "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2023.