Who won the Missouri congressional races? Here’s why one victory is historic
Missouri will send its first Black woman to Congress, a historic moment even as incumbents won reelection Tuesday for the state’s seven other U.S. House seats.
Cori Bush, a Democrat, won by nearly 60 points over Republican Anthony Rogers with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results from the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office.
The Associated Press called the race for Bush — the first results among Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats — around 9:30 p.m.
Bush noted the historic nature of her election on Twitter.
“It’s 2020,” Bush said. “I shouldn’t be the first, but I am honored to carry this responsibility.”
Bush, who led protests in 2014 after police killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, invoked his name following her victory, noting that he was killed more than 2,200 days ago.
“We took to the streets for more than 400 days in protest,” she said. “Today, we take this fight for Black Lives from the streets of Ferguson to the halls of Congress. We will get justice.”
Though her general election campaign wasn’t expected to be close, Bush’s victory in August’s Democratic primary was a major upset. She defeated incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay, who was first elected to the seat in 2000. Before him, his father represented the district for 32 years.
On the whole, Tuesday’s election was not a seismic shift in the delegation’s makeup. In the state’s seven other congressional districts, all incumbents won reelection — several by huge margins.
Only one of the state’s eight races was fiercely competitive — incumbent Republican Rep. Ann Wagner faced Democratic state Sen. Jill Schupp. The race, in the 2nd District, which lies in the St. Louis suburbs, was rated a toss-up and represented Democrats’ best chance of flipping a seat.
The Associated Press called the race for Wagner, who won by about seven points, the narrowest victory in the Missouri congressional delegation.
On Twitter, Wagner said she was “humbled and honored” by the victory.
“I promise to continue fighting for our conservative, Missouri values and always putting Missourians first and politics second,” she said.
Schupp conceded the race in a statement, saying the country is in “painful, divided times” and Republicans and Democrats must come together.
“This race might be over, but what our campaign stood for will endure,” Schupp said. “Being your nominee has been the greatest honor of my life and my commitment to protecting people with pre-existing conditions, making our communities safer from gun violence, and creating an economy that works for all of us remains steadfast.”
The other incumbents, especially Republicans, won by greater margins. In an interview with The Star, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, described the night as a “shellacking” for Missouri Democrats, though he said the good news is that the state’s delegation works together better than many others.
Cleaver’s race in the 5th District was called just before 11 p.m. He held a 20-point lead over Republican challenger Ryan Derks, with all precincts reporting.
Cleaver said he was happy to see U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a fellow Democrat, win reelection on the Kansas side, and he was glad to be reelected. Cleaver is also a former Kansas City mayor.
“I’ve been fortunate to receive support from the people in this community for two decades almost,” Cleaver told The Star, “and I’m honored that they would send me back to work for them again.”
Incumbent Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler won reelection in Missouri’s 4th District, which covers the far southern portions of the Kansas City area. By midnight, with all but nine precincts reporting, she held a near-38-point lead.
Hartzler, who was first elected in 2010 and became the first Republican to hold the seat since the 1950s, defeated Democrat Lindsey Simmons, an attorney who worked for Hartzler’s Democratic predecessor Ike Skelton.
Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican whose district stretches from the Northland across the whole of northern Missouri, won 67% of the vote with all precincts reporting, defeating long-shot Democratic foe Gena Ross of Platte City, who raised less than $10,000 for the cycle.
In Missouri’s 8th District, which covers southeast Missouri, incumbent Republican Rep. Jason Smith garnered 77% of the vote with 95% of precincts reporting. Once again he faced Kathy Ellis, whom he defeated by 49 points in 2018.
AP projected incumbent Republican Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer would win against Democratic opponent Megan Rezabek in the state’s 3rd District, which stretches from central Missouri to the edge of the St. Louis metro. Rezabek had raised no money and did not actively campaign. Luetkemeyer was beating Rezabek by 48 points with 76% of precincts reporting, according to the secretary of state.
Republican Rep. Billy Long, a five-term incumbent, won with 69% of the vote with all precincts reporting.
Long already faced a relatively easy road to reelection. But then in September, Democratic challenger Teresa Montseny announced she was stepping out of the race for health and family issues. Montseny’s name still appeared on the ballot because her announcement came after the deadline for her to be removed and replaced with another candidate.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 6:54 PM.
