Parson and Galloway’s high school education emerges as flash point in race’s final days
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and his Republican allies are using Democratic challenger Nicole Galloway’s academic and professional past in their final pitch to voters, leading to sharp rebukes from the state auditor’s campaign and charges of sexism.
At a campaign stop this week, Parson pointed out he attended public school while Galloway attended private school. An ad from the pro-Parson Uniting Missouri PAC questioned Galloway’s qualifications.
As the campaigns for governor scramble for votes ahead of Tuesday, Galloway has expressed outrage over Parson’s comments. His campaign has dismissed the criticism.
Both candidates have made their career paths central to their campaigns. Galloway, 38, has frequently touted her role as auditor, pointing to millions of dollars of waste and abuse she has identified in the five years she’s held office. Parson, 65, has often focused on his 12 years as Polk County sheriff as he emphasizes law and order themes.
But on Monday, Parson reached deeper into their biographies, speaking to a central Missouri audience about the differences in their high school education.
“I went to a public school system; she went to a private school system,” Parson said in Saint Robert, according to the Pulaski County Daily News.
He also told the crowd he was raised in a small town and started working at 14, while Galloway grew up in St. Louis, the newspaper reported.
Parson graduated from Wheatland High School and served in Army. He attended classes at the University of Maryland and University of Hawaii but didn’t earn a degree.
Galloway, who would be the first woman to serve as Missouri governor if elected, graduated from Ursuline Academy, a Catholic prep high school for young women based in St. Louis. She holds degrees from Missouri University of Science and Technology and the University of Missouri.
The two candidates and their allies have battled over Parson’s comments in dueling statements and social media posts. In a tweet that Galloway’s campaign also sent out as a news release, she called Parson’s remarks on her education “a new low.”
“Read between the lines. When @MikeParson criticized my Ursuline education to ‘draw comparisons’ about our qualifications, here’s what he’s saying to women who went to Catholic, all-girl, or religious schools: You’re not qualified to be governor,” Galloway tweeted.
Parson campaign manager Steele Shippy in a statement said it was “obvious” Galloway was behind in the polls “and growing more desperate by the day to resort to these baseless attacks that Missourians are sick of.”
The governor’s decision to note Galloway’s private schooling comes even though multiple high-ranking Missouri Republicans have private school in their backgrounds. Attorney General Eric Schmitt graduated from De Smet Jesuit High School. Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory School, a Catholic high school.
Earlier this week, an ad from the pro-Parson Uniting Missouri PAC also drew condemnation from Democratic officials and groups. In the ad, a narrator notes Parson’s past Army service, time as sheriff and in the legislature, as well as his history as a farmer and rancher. The narrator then moves to Galloway, saying she’s worked for accounting and insurance companies.
“Is that all she’s done? That can’t be right, she’s running for governor,” the narrator asks.
Galloway, who was appointed auditor by Gov. Jay Nixon in 2015 following the death of Auditor Tom Schweich, won election in 2018. Prior to that, Nixon had named her Boone County Treasurer in 2011. She then won a full term in an uncontested election in 2012. Before holding office, Galloway was an auditor in the private sector.
Democrats called the ad sexist and demeaning toward women in public service.
“This ad reinforces toxic tropes and should immediately be taken down,” Missouri Democratic Party Director Lauren Gepford said in a statement.
Uniting Missouri has brushed aside the criticism. Spokesman Mike Berg has referred to the “faux outrage” surrounding the ad and asked rhetorically on Twitter whether Parson was elected lieutenant governor.
Parson has maintained a lead in most public surveys, though polling has been limited. A Saint Louis University poll conducted in late September and early October gave Parson a 6-point lead over Galloway, outside the margin of error of 3.9 percent.
Galloway is heading toward Election Day painting Parson as a status quo leader who won’t change course on Missouri COVID-19 response even as the virus surges across Missouri.
“The next governor will have a big job to dig us out of this COVID mess. Let’s be real: Mike Parson will do everything the same old way,” Galloway says in an ad this week.
Galloway has promised a statewide mask mandate if elected, a step Parson has refused to take. The governor – who contracted the virus himself in September – has left decisions about restrictions to cities and counties.
Parson has defended his handling of the crisis, while placing a heavy emphasis on law and order themes. He called a special session focused on violent crime this summer as homicides surged in Kansas City and St. Louis. Legislators ultimately passed two bills.
