Republicans John Brunner and former House Speaker Catherine Hanaway conceded Tuesday night.
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The victor of the primary will likely face Democrat Chris Koster in November, Missouri’s Attorney General.
Just under a quarter of Missouri’s registered voters turned out to cast ballots in Tuesdays primary elections.
FILE – In this November 3, 2015, file photo, former Missouri House Speaker Catherine Hanaway participates in a forum in Jefferson City, Mo. Roy Blunt polled in gaining primary victories.
Missouri Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens speaks to a crowd of supporters at the DoubleTree Hotel Chesterfield, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in Chesterfield, Mo.
Republican Mike Parson led the GOP lieutenant governor’s race with 1,688 votes, well ahead of the Democrat victor, Russ Carnahan, who tallied 529. He won his primary easily, defeating minor candidates.
Koster, who once served as a Republican state senator, describes himself as a conservative Democrat. He has traveled the world as a photographer on humanitarian missions documenting the conditions of war refugees and homeless children.
When he returned from Iraq, Greitens donated his combat pay to found The Mission Continues, a non-profit that assists wounded and disabled veterans. He’s also written three books, including the bestselling memoir “The Heart and the Fist”.
The Republican Governors Association says it plans to release its first TV ad against Koster on Wednesday, and a Democratic affiliated political group already has been running an ad against Greitens.
The candidates are vying for Democrat Jay Nixon’s seat.
He has highlighted his military background and cast himself as a political outsider who would clean up perceived corruption in Jefferson City. Greitens, a former Navy SEAL, ended the night with a strong lead over Kinder. Goguen has denied the abuse allegations, which were cited in the attack ad. Though Greitens had no role, Schweich had believed that other Republicans were turning against him with negative attacks and rumors.
While the success of a relative political outsider might have grabbed the headlines, it’s his gun-toting military style ads that have garnered mixed reactions over social media in recent days.
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His Republican opponents also questioned whether Greitens truly is conservative. Greitens attended the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and served as a Rhodes Scholar in the White House. And Greitens once was courted by Democrats as a potential candidate. Greitens is one of four Republicans running in the August 2 prima. All four candidates supported expanded gun rights and tax cuts.
