Missouri results for every midterm race
The Senate election between Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill and Republican challenger Josh Hawley has dominated Missouri politics this year.
McCaskill is one of 10 Senate Democrats up for reelection in a state that Donald Trump won in 2016. She already unexpectedly survived one reelection bid in 2012, against the horrendously unpopular Todd Akin, but she looks much more endangered in 2018. The polling has shown her and Hawley neck and neck. If Democrats have any hope of retaking the Senate in 2019, they will need McCaskill to hold onto her seat.
Health care has been a significant issue, with McCaskill embracing Obamacare’s protections for preexisting conditions while Hawley toes an absurd line: He has joined a lawsuit to overturn the health care law in its entirety while also that claiming he supports protections for preexisting conditions.
The other unavoidable topic is now-former Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican forced to resign earlier this year over allegations of corruption and sexual misconduct. A tarnished Republican brand in the state could be a boon for McCaskill, though Hawley did fight hard to force Grietens out of office.
The race for the Second District is also worth watching, where Republican Rep. Ann Wagner is narrowly favored over Democrat Cort VanOstran. It would be a nice win for Democrats in their quest to flip the House.
When it comes to the state legislature, half of the state Senate and all of the House of Representatives are on the ballot. Daily Kos says Republicans are expected to hold onto both.
President Trump’s approval and disapproval ratings are almost evenly split in the state, with slightly more people saying they approve of the job he’s doing, according to Morning Consult.