The Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Five Missouri state offices, including the governor’s seat, are up for grabs in the general election this November.
Mike Parson inherited the Missouri governor’s seat after Eric Greitens resigned in 2018. Parson finished up that term and was elected to another full term in 2020. He is no longer eligible to run again, setting the stage for a new governor in 2025.
Missouri’s gubernatorial election is set for Nov. 5, 2024. Candidates must file paperwork for a run for governor by March 26. The primary elections, to choose one candidate from each party, are set for Aug. 6.
Heading into the new year, FOX 2 has learned of at least eight people who plan to run for the Missouri governor’s office. That includes four Republican candidates, three Democratic candidates, and one Independent Party candidate.
Republican candidates
- Jay Ashcroft, currently serving as the Missouri Secretary of State.
- Mike Kehoe, currently serving as the Missouri Lieutenant Governor.
- Bill Eigel, a Missouri State Senator from St. Charles County.
- Chris Wright, an army veteran and National Guardsman based out of Joplin.
Jay Ashcroft is the son of former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. He also has experience as an engineer and an attorney.
Mike Kehoe became lieutenant governor in 2018 after Parson was appointed governor. He brings seven years of experience in the Missouri Senate, three as a majority leader.
Bill Eigel is a U.S. Air Force veteran who has served as a state senator since 2017.
Chris Wright does not have any previous political experience in Missouri.
Democrat candidates
- Crystal Quade, currently serving as the Missouri House Minority Leader.
- Mike Hamra, an entrepreneur based out of Springfield.
- Sheryl Gladney, a councilwoman from Breckenridge Hills.
Crystal Quade has served with the Missouri House since 2016 and as the minority leader since 2019. She has also served on the state’s budget committee for several years.
Mike Hamara is the President and CEO of Hamra Enterprises. He does not have any previous political experience in Missouri.
Sheryl Gladney represents Ward 4 of Breckenridge Hills. She has reportedly filed paperwork for office, but has not yet formally announced her run.
Independent candidate
- Larry Flenoid II, a politician based out of Springfield.
Larry Flenoid II previously campaigned for a Missouri House seat in 2022. He is the lone independent candidate to date.
Also of note
Poll projections released by research group Show Me Victories in November show Ashcroft and Kehoe almost even in support within the Republican ticket and Quade with a firm lead of support within the Democratic ticket.
The Missouri Governor’s Office has been run by Republican leadership since 2017, though it’s been split nearly half-and-half between the GOP and Democratic party since 2017.