Posted on Jul 25, 2022
Eric Greitens casts a long shadow over Missouri's unpredictable Republican Senate primary
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Six major candidates are squaring off Aug. 2 in the Missouri GOP Senate primary, but since they're generally similar on high-profile issues, much of the run-up revolves around whether Greitens can overcome his many scandals or whether his opponents can appeal enough to an increasingly Republican state.
Inside a restaurant in Jefferson County, dozens of people crammed into a back room to hear U.S. Senate hopeful Eric Greitens speak.
Before launching into his stump speech that excoriated President Joe Biden’s domestic and foreign policy agenda, the former governor alluded to the extreme tension between himself and other members of the Missouri Republican Party.
“And one thing that’s really important for us to recognize at this moment is that we’re going to win and we are not going to become our enemies,” Greitens said at the recent campaign stop. “We’re not going to become them.”
Inside a restaurant in Jefferson County, dozens of people crammed into a back room to hear U.S. Senate hopeful Eric Greitens speak.
Before launching into his stump speech that excoriated President Joe Biden’s domestic and foreign policy agenda, the former governor alluded to the extreme tension between himself and other members of the Missouri Republican Party.
“And one thing that’s really important for us to recognize at this moment is that we’re going to win and we are not going to become our enemies,” Greitens said at the recent campaign stop. “We’re not going to become them.”
Eric Greitens casts a long shadow over Missouri's unpredictable Republican Senate primary
Posted from kcur.org
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A race in flux
In late June, Harris told the Missouri Independent that unless Trump endorsed another candidate, it would be “very, very difficult” to defeat Greitens in the primary.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Harris said polling seems to be showing a trend toward Schmitt — especially as a PAC known as Show Me Values has been hammering Greitens over his ex-wife’s allegations.
“I am very happy to say that I was wrong,” Harris said. “And now I believe Eric Greitens will lose the Republican nomination.”
Yet polling in Missouri, especially in primaries, is notoriously unreliable.
If Greitens prevails, there’s a debate whether he’ll be vulnerable in a general election.
Long, for instance, believes Greitens is so controversial that he’ll make a safe Republican seat much more competitive than it needs to be.
“I think I’m the one who can win this race in the general without a lot of big pushback from the Democrats,” Long said. “I think if we elect Eric Greitens, the party has told us we’ll have to spend $30 to $40 million trying to drag him across the finish line.”
Greitens backers like Wildwood resident Gary Wiegert say that type of contention is a rationalization from Republicans who don’t want to deal with Greitens if he ends up winning the Senate race and gets a national platform.
“I think he’s the strongest candidate to take on the Democrats," Wiegert said. “I think Eric is the one who the Democrats fear.”
One wildcard is John Wood, a former U.S. attorney who is running as an independent during the general election in November. Wood, who has the backing of former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, is expected to have millions of dollars to support his candidacy.
Also unknown is which Democratic candidate will move ahead to November. Three major candidates, Trudy Busch Valentine, Lucas Kunce and Spencer Toder, are vying for the nomination."
..."A race in flux
In late June, Harris told the Missouri Independent that unless Trump endorsed another candidate, it would be “very, very difficult” to defeat Greitens in the primary.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Harris said polling seems to be showing a trend toward Schmitt — especially as a PAC known as Show Me Values has been hammering Greitens over his ex-wife’s allegations.
“I am very happy to say that I was wrong,” Harris said. “And now I believe Eric Greitens will lose the Republican nomination.”
Yet polling in Missouri, especially in primaries, is notoriously unreliable.
If Greitens prevails, there’s a debate whether he’ll be vulnerable in a general election.
Long, for instance, believes Greitens is so controversial that he’ll make a safe Republican seat much more competitive than it needs to be.
“I think I’m the one who can win this race in the general without a lot of big pushback from the Democrats,” Long said. “I think if we elect Eric Greitens, the party has told us we’ll have to spend $30 to $40 million trying to drag him across the finish line.”
Greitens backers like Wildwood resident Gary Wiegert say that type of contention is a rationalization from Republicans who don’t want to deal with Greitens if he ends up winning the Senate race and gets a national platform.
“I think he’s the strongest candidate to take on the Democrats," Wiegert said. “I think Eric is the one who the Democrats fear.”
One wildcard is John Wood, a former U.S. attorney who is running as an independent during the general election in November. Wood, who has the backing of former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, is expected to have millions of dollars to support his candidacy.
Also unknown is which Democratic candidate will move ahead to November. Three major candidates, Trudy Busch Valentine, Lucas Kunce and Spencer Toder, are vying for the nomination."
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