Missouri legislature results: Senate candidate benefits from dark money

In an ugly and expensive race, Tony Luetkemeyer beat out Harry Roberts on Tuesday to earn the Republican nomination for a Missouri state Senate seat based in Platte and Buchanan counties.

Luetkemeyer, an attorney from Parkville, received 53 percent of the vote, compared to 46 percent for Roberts. He’ll now face off against Democrat Martin Rucker of Kansas City, who was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary.

During the campaign, both sides were trading barbs and attacking their rival’s character.

Upping the price tag of the campaign was a political action committee called Missouri Senate Conservatives Fund, which spent more than $300,000 over the last month attacking Roberts and boosting Luetkemeyer.

Much of the PAC’s money came from a nonprofit, which isn’t required to disclose its donors.

Republican Sen. Rob Schaaf, who is vacating the seat after eight years in office because of term limits, endorsed Roberts and condemned Luetkemeyer for the anonymous campaign cash spent on his behalf.

Luetkemeyer insisted he had no control over how the PAC spent its money and denied the accusations that he illegally coordinated with the group.

In other local legislative primaries:

Senate District 8: Incumbent Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit soundly defeated Leonard Jonas Hughes IV to earn the Republican nomination for a state Senate seat based in eastern Jackson County. He’ll face off against Democrat Hillary Shields in November, a rematch from last year’s special election in the district.

House District 9: Sheila Solon of St. Joseph bested three other candidates for the Republican nomination. She’ll take on Democrat Bob Bergland.

House District 11: Brenda Shields of St. Joseph beat two other candidates vying for the GOP nomination. She’ll take on Democrat Brady Lee O’Dell.

House District 15: Steve West of Kansas City won the four-way GOP primary and will now take on incumbent Democratic state Rep. Jon Carpenter.

House District 21: Robert Sauls of Independence barely edged out Dan O’Neill for the Democratic nomination, winning by 33 votes. There are no Republicans currently running for the seat.

House District 26: Ashley Bland Manlove of Kansas City defeated Dylan Burd and Edward Bell for the Democratic nomination. There are no Republicans currently running for the seat.

House District 28: State Rep. Jerome Barnes of Kansas City won the Democratic nomination and will face Libertarian Jeremy Utterback of Raytown this fall.

House District 30: Jon Patterson of Lee’s Summit won the Republican nomination and will face Democrat Ryana Parks-Shaw of Lee’s Summit and Libertarian Brad Eichstadt of Independence.

House District 33: Pat Williams of Pleasant Hill defeated Matthew Simmons for the Democratic nomination, earning the chance to take on Republican Rep. Donna Pfautsch of Harrisonville.

House District 35: Tom Lovell of Lee’s Summit defeated Sean Smith for the Republican nomination. Democrat Keri Ingle of Lee’s Summit was unopposed.

House District 55: Mike Hafner of Pleasant Hill defeated Bing Schimmelpfenning and Mike Vinck for the Republican nomination. There are no Democrats currently running.

This story was originally published August 7, 2018 at 10:30 PM.