KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri voters elected Republican Mike Kehoe as the state’s 58th governor Tuesday during the general election, according to the Associated Press.
BREAKING: Republican Mike Kehoe wins election for governor in Missouri. #APRaceCall at 9:45 p.m. EST. https://t.co/FjgpZFcJ4E
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 6, 2024
Kehoe garnered enough votes on Tuesday to defeat Democrat Crystal Quade, according to unofficial voting results.
In 2018, Kehoe was appointed by outgoing Gov. Mike Parson to serve as the state’s lieutenant governor
He was later elected to a full term in 2020.
Kehoe marks the fifth-straight Republican to hold the office, with Jay Nixon serving as the last Democratic governor from 2009-17.
During his campaign, Kehoe ran on an agenda that celebrated him coming from humble beginnings.
RELATED | Mike Kehoe's pitch to Missouri voters for governor race
Kehoe said he will lead the state with a focus on securing the U.S. border, eliminating the state’s income tax, defending the Second Amendment and supporting law enforcement.
Quade released a statement thanking her supporters and congratulating Kehoe.
While today’s results weren’t what we hoped for, I’m immensely honored by the support our campaign received throughout our state. However, hope is not lost. I’m proud of and thankful for the hundreds of thousands of Missourians who gathered signatures, talked to their neighbors, worked, and voted to restore our reproductive freedom. I have called Governor-Elect Kehoe to congratulate him and I wish him the best of luck."
Outgoing Gov. Mike Parson weighed in on Kehoe's victory:
—