JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Mike Kehoe will serve as the 58th governor of Missouri.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful we are,” Kehoe told his supporters Tuesday night.
Gov.-elect Kehoe said he kept busy on the road this past year for his campaign, stopping to listen to Missourians along the way.
KSHB 41 followed suit, stopping in mid-Missouri to chat with voters about Kehoe's pathway to the Capitol.
Kehoe often reflects on his journey to the highest office in the state, starting in Jefferson City.
He explained he came from humble beginnings and became a well-known car dealership owner.
That small business is where many people first got to know Kehoe, including folks inside Boonville’s Main Street Diner.
“I think it’ll be a step in the right direction. I’ve known Mike Kehoe in the past when we were in the automobile industry together,” said diner Brent Bozarth.
Angel Kellner, one of the waitresses at Main Street Diner, said the table Bozarth sits at is full of regulars. She knows them well.
“We call them the 'Knights of the Round Table,'" Kellner said. "We joke about how those gentlemen have come with the building; they’ve been coming here 20 years every morning and every afternoon for their coffee and tea."
Wednesday's table topic list included Kehoe.
“I like a lot of his new ideas, what he wants to accomplish and looking forward to doing what he says he will do,” Bozarth said. “We need more industry to build our tax base, and that’s something important to me and I think him as well.”
In a news conference Wednesday, Kehoe said he plans to meet with his team Thursday to go over common goals.
Outgoing Gov. Mike Parson offered advice to Kehoe Tuesday night on how to navigate the road ahead.
“You just gotta really put all Missourians in the forefront and understand this state is totally different between urban, rural and suburban, and you’re a governor for all of them,” Parson said.
Bozarth offered similar advice for Kehoe.
“There's a lot of diversity out there, and all voting people, and you need to do things that will serve as many of them as you can,” Bozarth said.
As Kehoe prepares to take office, Kellner said she's excited to "see the new things that will happen" in Missouri.
“It’s about us people and helping each other," she said. "We do need a good government system in place and treating each other as good neighbors, regardless of where you’re from."
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KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.