There are no incumbents in the race to become Missouri’s 58th governor. Gov. Mike Parson , who served in the role since June 2018, is not running again due to term limits.
There are four candidates in the race: Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe , a Republican; state Rep. Crystal Quade , a Democrat; Bill Slantz, a Libertarian; and Paul Lehmann, of the Green Party.
Mike Kehoe, Republican
Kehoe, who was appointed by Parson to serve as the state’s 48th lieutenant governor in June 2018, was elected to a full term in 2020. He defeated eight Republican challengers in the primary to reach the Nov. 5 ballot.
He was raised in North St. Louis City by a single mother and started working at age 15 to help pay the bills. Later, he owned an ambulance manufacturing company and then a car dealership. Elected to the Missouri Senate in 2010, Kehoe served as the majority floor leader. He previously served as chair of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission.
If elected, Kehoe said reducing crime will be his top priority. He wants to hire more law enforcement officers, enact laws that are stricter on fentanyl dealers and address immigration issues. He wants to improve teacher salaries and working environments, and expand career training.