Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt easily captured the Republican nomination for an open Senate seat on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. His decisive victory derailed the political comeback of former governor Eric Greitens, whose campaign had been clouded by allegations of domestic violence, infidelity and corruption.
Mr. Schmitt, a former state senator and treasurer, made a far right turn over his biggest rivals, Mr. Greitens and Representative Vicky Hartzler, a longtime social conservative who was in second place when the votes were counted on Tuesday, night to fend off, with Mr. Greitens close behind.
Mr. Schmitt had the backing of Texas Senator Ted Cruz — whom he starred in multiple appearances on Fox News — and a semi-approval of former President Donald J. Trump, who, unable to make up his mind, ” Eric” endorsed on Monday without specifying which one.
His victory came as a relief to Republicans in Missouri and Washington, who had worried that Mr Greitens’ nomination, four years after he disgraced his governorship to avoid impeachment, would jeopardize a seat they hoped to pass easily by outgoing Senator Roy Blunt to a Republican successor. Missouri, once a swing state, has turned reliably red over the past decade.
If Mr Greitens won, Democrats were planning to attack him on a record of allegations by his former wife that he physically abused her and one of their young sons, as well as allegations of sexual abuse from a hairdresser who said he had lured her to his house, tied her up, ripped her clothes off, photographed her partially naked, threatened to release the photos if she talked, and forced her into oral sex.
“I hope and pray that it is God’s will that Eric Greitens does not get the nomination, but if Eric Greitens wins the nomination, we will lose a Senate seat to the Democrats,” said St. Louis president Rene Artman. County Republican Central Committee, said days before the election. She had pleaded with Missouri Republican officials to stand up more vigorously against Mr. Greitens.
A Missouri super PAC funded by wealthy donors in and out of the state attacked Mr Greitens in advertising that used his ex-wife’s accusations like images of a trip he made as governor to Chinain which he appeared to speak positively about the country.
Greitens said the charges against him were false and orchestrated by Washington Republicans such as Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and Karl Rove, George W. Bush’s White House political leader. Greitens mounted a campaign steeped in violent imagery, advertising military-style attacks against “RINOs” — Republicans in name only — and shooting himself, a former Navy SEAL, firing high-powered weapons.
In the end, Mr. Schmitt took advantage of a very divided field of Republicans, 21 in all. It included Representative Billy Long, who claimed to be Mr Trump’s true voice, and Mark McCloskey, a personal injury attorney who made headlines when he and his wife brandished guns at Black Lives Matter protesters outside the couple’s home in St. louis. .
Ms. Hartzler was supported by Missouri junior senator Josh Hawley, but was rejected by Mr. Trump, who told his supporters on his social media site, “I don’t think she has what it takes to challenge the radical left Democrats. to grab.” Mr Trump called Mr Greitens “tough” and “smart” in an interview on the pro-Trump network One America News, and his son Donald Trump Jr. shot automatic rifles with Mr Greitens at a firing range and said on camera that they “sown fear in the hearts of liberals everywhere.”
With Mrs. Hartzler fired by the former president and Mr. Greitens under concerted attack from wealthy Republicans, Mr. Schmitt was able to prevail.