SOUTHERN BOONE STAYS RED, WALSH RETAINS DIST. 50 SEAT

Southern Boone County voters flocked to the polls on Tuesday and cast their ballots for mostly conservative candidates as Sara Walsh won her re-election bid, defeating Democrat Michela Skelton by more than 1,400 votes.

Walsh polled 8,499 to Skelton’s 7,039 for the District 50 House of Representatives seat in Jefferson City.

The District 50 race was the most local race for Southern Boone voters, however, in the State races, most Republicans fared much better in Missouri than most of the rest of the country.

• Josh Hawley, R-Columbia defeated incumbent Claire McCaskill, D-St. Louis, by gaining 57% of the vote, defeating McCaskill by about 145,000 votes. Missourians approved medical marijuana, voted to raise the minimum wage, passed campaign finance reform – all things Hawley opposed, but voted the Attorney General into the senate seat by a comfortable margin.
• It appeared as though one Democrat, State Auditor Nicole Galloway was going to squeak out an election win. The incumbent, Galloway, D-Columbia, ran behind her opponent Saundra McDowell, R-Jefferson City all night. McDowell was besiged by news throughout the campaign of her defaulting on loans and being taken to court for lack of payments on rent and rental furniture. However, Galloway only overtook McDowell late in the evening and led by 25,000 votes at 11 p.m.
• Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, easily won reelection to Congress by gaining 74% of the vote. However, Hartzler was out-polled by challenger Renee Hoagenson, D-Columbia, in Boone County by about 7,000 votes – 53% to Hartzler’s 44%. But the incumbent’s strong Fourth District showing gave her another easy win.
• Voters approved one of three medical marijuana measures as well as an increase in the state’s minimum wage while rejecting a proposed gas tax for Missouri roads. Amendment Two will have a 4% sales tax on medical marijuana sales. That tax revenue would be spent on health care services for veterans and would help regulate licensing and sales through the Department of Health.
• Amendment 4 was approved and will relax restrictions on advertising Bingo games and relax restrictions on club members who work at those games. The amendment will enhance the ability of the Ashland Optimist Club to provide Bingo as its primary funding mechanism for youth recreation and scholarships.

Proposition B was approved and will gradually increase the state minimum wage to $12 per hour in 2023.