Government & Politics

Who is Tony Luetkemeyer? Parkville Republican could replace Eric Schmitt as Missouri AG

Missouri state Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer
Missouri state Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer

Republicans have floated state Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Parkville Republican, as a potential candidate for Missouri’s next attorney general to replace Senator-elect Eric Schmitt.

Sources familiar with the appointment process said Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has interviewed Luetkemeyer for the position.

Luetkemeyer, an attorney who was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2018, made headlines this year when he successfully passed legislation that forced Kansas City to spend more on its police force.

Luetkemeyer argued that the measure was a way to push back against the national movement to reduce police spending. But critics said the state was asserting dominance over a more diverse and more politically progressive city.

He is chairman of the Missouri Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the chamber’s budget writing panel.

Kacen Bayless
The Kansas City Star
Kacen Bayless is the Democracy Insider for The Kansas City Star, a position that uncovers how politics and government affect communities across the sprawling Kansas City area. Prior to this role, he covered Missouri politics for The Star. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he previously was an investigative reporter in coastal South Carolina. 
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