Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt won his bid for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, defeating Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine.
JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt won his bid for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine with overwhelming support in the state鈥檚 rural areas.
A crowd of more than 300 Schmitt supporters gathered at the Sheraton Westport Chalet in Maryland Heights erupted in applause when Fox News called the race for Schmitt. The Associated Press the race for the Republican at 9:12 p.m.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 just win an election,鈥 Schmitt told the crowd. 鈥淲e sent a message to Joe Biden 鈥 we want our country back.鈥
He said he received a 鈥済racious鈥 call from Valentine, and he congratulated her for running a 鈥渟pirited campaign.鈥
With all of the state鈥檚 precincts counted, Schmitt was leading Valentine 55% to 42%, according to unofficial results reported by the Missouri Secretary of State.聽
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While Valentine jumped out to an early lead on Tuesday, her winning margin began to evaporate as tallies rolled in from rural counties.
In 果酱视频 County, Valentine won 61% of the vote. In the city of 果酱视频, she took 83% of the vote.
But Schmitt notched wide leads in rural counties.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine gives a thumbs up to a voter while stumping to reach early voters on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, outside the 果酱视频 County Board of Elections in St. Ann. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
During the campaign, Schmitt focused on inflation and courted voters wary of COVID-19 restrictions. He cast Valentine 鈥 an heir to the Anheuser-Busch fortune 鈥 as a 鈥渓imousine liberal鈥 who was out-of-touch with the struggles voters faced.
Schmitt on Tuesday called his victory 鈥渁 truly American story, where the son of a night shift worker at Anheuser-Busch could run against an heiress ... and win.鈥
Valentine focused on protecting abortion rights, blasting Schmitt for signing the state鈥檚 near-total abortion ban. She said she would be 鈥渘obody鈥檚 senator but yours.鈥
Valentine also criticized Schmitt鈥檚 support for allowing foreign ownership of farmland in Missouri 鈥 taking a page from Schmitt鈥檚 opponents in the GOP primary.
Schmitt will replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., in the Senate.
Political forecasters didn鈥檛 consider Missouri鈥檚 race competitive, reflecting the state鈥檚 position as a deep-red bastion.
That left the focus on contests in other states: Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire and Georgia.
The party that doesn鈥檛 control the White House historically gains ground in Congress during the midterm elections.
Reflecting the Democrats鈥 precarious position, races in Colorado and Washington 鈥 both considered blue states 鈥 were both classified as tossups prior to the election .
With national Democrats and Republicans focusing attention elsewhere, Valentine pumped more than $10 million of her own money into her campaign account.
But the financial lifeline from Valentine wasn鈥檛 enough to break through in deeply conservative Missouri.
In Columbia, Darin Preis, a 52-year-old nonprofit administrator, said he voted for Valentine in the Senate race.
鈥淚 think that Eric Schmitt has just veered way too far right,鈥 Preis said. 鈥淚 think he was appealing to Trump voters and that鈥檚 just not where I am.鈥
Shrewsbury resident David Oswald, 80, said he has met Schmitt a few times. He voted for the Republican.
鈥淯ntil they control the border and stop printing money, I鈥檓 mad at all of them,鈥 he said of congressional Democrats.
He called Schmitt 鈥渟olid, hardworking and dedicated鈥 and said he was a 鈥済reat family man,鈥 citing the Missouri attorney general鈥檚 son with special needs. Oswald said he, too, has a grandchild with special needs.
Jacob Barker and Joe Holleman of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Updated at 12:04 a.m. Wednesday.
Photos: 果酱视频 region votes in 2022 midterm elections
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt celebrates his victory during his election night watch party at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in Maryland Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt chokes up as he talks about his son Stephen and his special needs during his victory speech at his election night watch party at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in Maryland Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt celebrates his victory during his election night watch party at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in Maryland Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt celebrates his victory during his election night watch party at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in Maryland Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.聽
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt celebrates his victory with his supporters during his election night watch party at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in Maryland Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt celebrates his victory during his election night watch party at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in Maryland Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.聽
Chris LeGrand, a consultant with the Legal MO 2022 campaign, passes out signs during a watch party for supporters of passing Amendment 3 in Missouri, which would legalize recreational marijuana, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at Budweiser Brew House at Ballpark Village downtown.
果酱视频 County Executive Sam Page gives his victory speech after beating Mark Mantovani to be reelected as county executive during his election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, inside Machinists Hall in Bridgeton.聽
果酱视频 County Executive Sam Page and his family celebrate onstage after being re-elected as county executive during his election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, inside Machinists Hall in Bridgeton. Photo by Jordan Opp, jopp@post-dispatch.com
果酱视频 County Executive Sam Page smiles as he watches opponent Mark Mantovani concede during his election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, inside Machinists Hall in Bridgeton. Photo by Jordan Opp, jopp@post-dispatch.com
果酱视频 County Executive Sam Page, second from left, speaks with Creve Coeur Councilwoman Nicole Greer, far left, and Creve Coeur Mayor Bob Hoffman, second from right, during Page's election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, inside Machinists Hall in Bridgeton.聽
Republican 果酱视频 County Executive candidate Mark Mantovani, right, laughs with Keith Krieg, left, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, during Mantovani's election watch party inside the Drury Inn in Brentwood. Photo by Jordan Opp, jopp@post-dispatch.com
果酱视频 County Executive Sam Page, left, discusses incoming results with advisor Paul Hampel, right, during Page's election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, inside Machinists Hall in Bridgeton. Photo by Jordan Opp, jopp@post-dispatch.com
Republican 果酱视频 County Executive candidate Mark Mantovani leans in to hear on grandkids Beatrice Kelley, left, and Maria Mantovani on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, during Mantovani's election watch party inside the Drury Inn in Brentwood. Photo by Jordan Opp, jopp@post-dispatch.com
果酱视频 Alderman Megan Green and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush record a video to get out the vote while greeting voters outside the precinct at the Missouri School for the Blind on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
果酱视频 Alderman Jack Coatar greets voters outside St. James the Greater School in Dogtown as he seeks to be elected aldermanic president on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Coatar and Megan Green are running to succeed Lewis Reed, who resigned in June after his indictment on federal corruption charges. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
As Matt Koenen played pinball at West County Lanes in Ellisville, voters used the bowling alley's party room next door to cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Voters await the opening of a precinct at VFW Post 3500 in Richmond Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Voters await the opening of a precinct at VFW Post 3500 in Richmond Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
果酱视频 County residents cast their votes in a party room at West County Lanes, a bowling alley in Ellisville, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Sen. Josh Hawley, center, and then-U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt, left, take questions from the media after a campaign stop at the 果酱视频 County Police Association Missouri Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 111 in Manchester on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine gives a thumbs up to a voter while stumping to reach early voters on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, outside the 果酱视频 County Board of Elections in St. Ann. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., embraces U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Town and Country, during a campaign event for U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt at the 果酱视频 County Police Association Missouri Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 111 in Manchester on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022.聽
U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt talks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign stop at the St Louis County Police Association Missouri Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 111 in Manchester on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt (left) and Sen. Josh Hawley (behind) take questions from the media after a campaign stop at the St Louis County Police Association Missouri Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 111 in Manchester on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Sen. Josh Hawley, left, R-Mo., campaigns for U.S. Senate candidate and eventual winner Eric Schmitt, right, at the 果酱视频 County Police Association Missouri Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 111 in Manchester on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022.
"You got my vote," said Keith Meeker, left, who reaches to fist-bump with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, who was out stumping to reach early voters on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, outside the 果酱视频 County Board of Elections in St. Ann. "I know some people might think she is an elitist but I think she has her heart in the right place. We need leaders like her," said Meeker. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
"I like her stance on abortion. She has the values I stand for. She's got my vote," said Sylvia Lane of Florissant, who talks with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, who was out stumping to reach early voters on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at the 果酱视频 County Board of Elections in St. Ann. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
"It's great to see so many voters out," said Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, who stumps to reach early voters on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, outside the 果酱视频 County Board of Elections in St. Ann.
果酱视频 Alderman Megan Green, right, greets U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-果酱视频, outside the voting precinct at the Missouri School for the Blind on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Green and fellow Alderman Jack Coatar are running for aldermanic president to succeed Lewis Reed, who resigned in June after his indictment on federal corruption charges. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
"It's my responsibility to vote," said Gary Matye, who cast his vote early in the Missouri midterm elections on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at the Daniel Boone Branch Library in Ellisville. Election officials at the site said absentee voters have stood in the long lines steadily for the past couple of weeks.
Bill Pinkston gets a little help from his grandson, Julian, as he casts his ballot early in the Missouri midterm elections on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at the Daniel Boone Branch Library in Ellisville.
Clad in his American flag sweater, Scott Sortor, of Ballwin, stands in line with other voters to cast their absentee ballots in the Missouri mid-term elections on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at the Daniel Boone Branch Library in Ellisville. Election officials at the site said voters have stood in long lines steadily for the last couple of weeks to vote early. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Clad in his American flag sweater, Scott Sortor of Ballwin (top, center) stands in line with other voters to cast their absentee ballots in the Missouri mid-term elections on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at the Daniel Boone Branch Library in Ellisville. Election officials at the site said voters have stood in long lines steadily for the last couple of weeks to vote early. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
As Katie Hawkins helps her niece Harper play pinball in the arcade at West County Lanes in Ellisville, voters use the bowling alley's party room next door to cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
果酱视频 County residents stand in line to cast their votes in a party room at West County Lanes, a bowling alley in Ellisville, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
In this Series
Missouri approves recreational marijuana; Schmitt wins and more election coverage
Jack Suntrup | Post-Dispatch
Jefferson City reporter
