Eric Greitens
Eric Greitens (Republican Party) was the Governor of Missouri. He assumed office in 2017. He left office on June 1, 2018.
Greitens (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Missouri. He lost in the Republican primary on August 2, 2022.
Greitens resigned as governor on June 1, 2018, following investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of campaign information.[1] For a complete timeline of events and information on all charges, click here.
Greitens was elected governor of Missouri in 2016. He first announced his candidacy for governor on September 26, 2015, and won the Republican primary election on August 2, 2016.[2] He won the general election on November 8, 2016.
Biography
Greitens is the author of three books and a former Navy SEAL who fought in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Greitens graduated from Duke University and thereafter became a Rhodes Scholar. He has been a White House fellow. He is also the founder of a nonprofit group, The Mission Continues, which connects veterans with volunteer work to help them in their post-military transitions.[2]
Greitens grew up in suburban St. Louis, in St. Louis County.[2]
Political career
Governor of Missouri (2017-2018)
Greitens was elected governor of Missouri on November 8, 2016. He assumed office on January 9, 2017.[3] Greitens resigned on June 1, 2018, following investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of voter files during the 2016 campaign.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: United States Senate election in Missouri, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. Senate Missouri
The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate Missouri on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Eric Schmitt (R) | 55.4 | 1,146,966 |
 | Trudy Busch Valentine (D) | 42.2 | 872,694 | |
 | Jonathan Dine (L) | 1.7 | 34,821 | |
 | Paul Venable (Constitution Party) | 0.7 | 14,608 | |
 | Nathan Mooney (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 14 | |
| Steve Price (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 9 | |
 | Rik Combs (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 6 | |
 | Gina Bufe (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 5 | |
 | Theodis Brown Sr. (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 4 | |
| David Kirk (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 3 | |
| Martin Lindstedt (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Total votes: 2,069,130 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Nicholas Strauss (Independent)
- Ronald Deets (Independent)
- John Wood (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Missouri
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Missouri on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Trudy Busch Valentine | 43.2 | 158,957 |
 | Lucas Kunce | 38.3 | 141,203 | |
 | Spencer Toder | 4.7 | 17,465 | |
 | Carla Wright | 3.9 | 14,438 | |
 | Gena Ross | 2.4 | 8,749 | |
 | Jewel Kelly, Jr. | 1.8 | 6,464 | |
 | Lewis Rolen | 1.4 | 5,247 | |
 | Pat Kelly | 1.4 | 5,002 | |
 | Ronald William Harris | 1.1 | 4,074 | |
 | Joshua Shipp | 0.9 | 3,334 | |
 | Clarence Taylor | 0.9 | 3,322 | |
| Total votes: 368,255 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Timothy Shepard (D)
- Scott Sifton (D)
- Ronald Deets (D)
- MD Rabbi Alam (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate Missouri
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Missouri on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eric Schmitt | 45.6 | 299,282 |
 | Vicky Hartzler | 22.1 | 144,903 | |
 | Eric Greitens | 18.9 | 124,155 | |
 | Billy Long | 5.0 | 32,603 | |
 | Mark McCloskey | 3.0 | 19,540 | |
 | Dave Schatz | 1.1 | 7,509 | |
| Patrick Lewis | 0.9 | 6,085 | |
 | Curtis D. Vaughn | 0.5 | 3,451 | |
| Eric McElroy | 0.4 | 2,805 | |
| Robert Allen | 0.3 | 2,111 | |
 | C.W. Gardner | 0.3 | 2,044 | |
| Dave Sims | 0.3 | 1,949 | |
 | Bernie Mowinski | 0.2 | 1,602 | |
| Deshon Porter | 0.2 | 1,574 | |
 | Darrell Leon McClanahan III | 0.2 | 1,139 | |
| Rickey Joiner | 0.2 | 1,084 | |
| Robert Olson | 0.2 | 1,081 | |
| Dennis Lee Chilton | 0.1 | 755 | |
 | Russel Pealer Breyfogle Jr | 0.1 | 685 | |
| Kevin Schepers | 0.1 | 681 | |
| Hartford Tunnell | 0.1 | 637 | |
| Total votes: 655,675 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Brinkmann (R)
- Dan McQueen (R)
- Ronald Deets (R)
- Rik Combs (R)
Constitution primary election
Constitution primary for U.S. Senate Missouri
Paul Venable advanced from the Constitution primary for U.S. Senate Missouri on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Paul Venable | 100.0 | 792 |
| Total votes: 792 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Missouri
Jonathan Dine advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Missouri on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jonathan Dine | 100.0 | 2,973 |
| Total votes: 2,973 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
- See also: Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016
Greitens ran for governor of Missouri in 2016. He won the Republican nomination for the seat in the August 2 primary election and competed in the November 8, 2016, general election with Attorney General Chris Koster (D), who won his party's primary; Libertarian Cisse Spragins, who ran unopposed; Green Party candidate Don Fitz and independent Lester Turilli Jr.
Eric Greitens defeated Chris Koster, Cisse Spragins, Lester Turilli, and Don Fitz in the Missouri governor election.
| Missouri Governor, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Eric Greitens |
51.29% | 1,424,730 | |
| Democratic | Chris Koster | 45.40% | 1,261,110 | |
| Libertarian | Cisse Spragins | 1.47% | 40,718 | |
| Independent | Lester Turilli Jr. | 1.07% | 29,774 | |
| Green | Don Fitz | 0.75% | 20,785 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.03% | 737 | ||
| Total Votes | 2,777,854 | |||
| Source: Missouri Secretary of State | ||||
Primary election
Other Republicans who had also declared for the office included Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, former state Speaker of the House Catherine Hanaway and businessman John Brunner.[4]
Eric Greitens defeated John Brunner, Peter Kinder, and Catherine Hanaway in the Missouri Republican primary for governor.
| Missouri Republican primary for governor, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Eric Greitens |
34.56% | 236,481 |
| John Brunner | 24.79% | 169,620 |
| Peter Kinder | 20.70% | 141,629 |
| Catherine Hanaway | 19.95% | 136,521 |
| Total Votes (3214 of 3214 precincts reporting) | 684,251 | |
| Source: Missouri Secretary of State | ||
Debates
On November 3, 2015, all five then-candidates in the Republican primary race participated in the first debate of the season. John Brunner, Bob Dixon, Eric Greitens, Catherine Hanaway, and Peter Kinder debated at the Missouri Farm Bureau in Jefferson City, Missouri. The moderator for the 90-minute debate was Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe (R), and the organizer was the Cole County Republican Central Committee.[4]
Campaign finance
Just after entering the race in late September 2015, Greitens was already the top fundraiser in the Republican primary. His exploratory campaign committee, formed in February 2015, had raised more than $1 million in the months leading up to his announcement, leading to a total of more than $2 million.[2]
Endorsements
| Key endorsements, Republican primary candidates (1 of 2) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Hanaway | Eric Greitens | ||||||||
| State Senate President Pro Tempore Tom Dempsey (R) | State Rep. Jay Barnes (R) | ||||||||
| Former U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R) | State Rep. Kirk Mathews (R) | ||||||||
| State Senate Majority Leader Ron Richard (R) | State Rep. Nate Walker (R) | ||||||||
| Missouri Right to Life | State Rep. Bill White (R) | ||||||||
| South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R) | Ben Carson | ||||||||
| What is a key endorsement? | |||||||||
| Key endorsements, Republican primary candidates (2 of 2) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Kinder | John Brunner | ||||||||
| Rush Limbaugh | Missouri Right to Life PAC | ||||||||
| Missouri Right to Life PAC | Former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee (R) | ||||||||
| Missouri Eagle Forum | U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R) | ||||||||
| What is a key endorsement? | |||||||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Eric Greitens did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
"I'm running for governor because we need a political outsider to move Missouri forward," Greitens said when announcing his campaign. "We have a political class of corrupt consultants, well-paid lobbyists, and career politicians who have been in Jefferson City for decades. They have produced nothing for us but embarrassment and failure."[2]
At his announcement, Greitens called for extending term limits to all statewide offices and banning gifts from lobbyists to state lawmakers. He made a lifetime pledge never to lobby government.[2]
Noteworthy events
Abuse allegations (2022)
On March 21, 2022, Greitens’ former wife, Sheena Greitens, alleged in a sworn affidavit that Greitens had been physically and emotionally abusive towards her and one of their sons beginning in 2018 as Greitens was facing criminal charges. The affidavit was filed as part of a child custody dispute. Greitens denied all of the allegations in public statements and court filings.[5][6]
Indictment for felony computer tampering (2018)
On April 20, 2018, Greitens was indicted by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner for tampering with computer data. The indictment alleged that Greitens used the donor list of a veterans charity called The Mission Continues, which Greitens founded in 2007, without authorization for political purposes during his 2016 gubernatorial campaign.[7] In a statement released the same day, Greitens denied the allegations and defended his work with the nonprofit.[8] Click here for more information about the indictment.
Gardner announced on May 30, 2018, that her office was dropping the felony computer tampering charges against Greitens. A spokeswoman for Gardner's office said the prosecutor and Greitens' defense team struck a deal in which Greitens would resign if the charges were dropped. Greitens' attorney, Jim Martin, said the case would be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it could not be re-filed.[9]
Indictment for felony invasion of privacy (2018)
On January 10, 2018, Greitens admitted to having an extramarital affair. In a recorded conversation, the woman involved claimed that Greitens had attempted blackmail in order to prevent her from exposing the affair. Greitens denied the blackmail allegations and refused to resign.[10]
After the allegations surfaced, Greitens and his wife, Sheena, released the following statement: "This was a deeply personal mistake. Eric took responsibility, and we dealt with this together honestly and privately. While we never would have wished for this pain in our marriage, or the pain that this has caused others, with God's mercy Sheena has forgiven and we have emerged stronger."[11]
On January 11, a bipartisan group of Missouri state senators called on Attorney General Josh Hawley (R) to investigate the blackmail allegations. Later that day, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner stated that she would launch an investigation into the allegations. Five Republican state legislators issued statements on January 16 calling for Greitens to resign. Greitens' attorney stated on January 19 that Greitens had no plans to resign.[12][13][14][15][16]
On January 24, 2018, the Missouri Democratic Party requested that Greitens sign an affidavit stating that he did not attempt blackmail.[17]
On February 22, 2018, Greitens was indicted by a grand jury in St. Louis for felony invasion of privacy. Greitens was accused of taking a nude photograph of a woman with whom he had an affair and threatening to release the image if the woman spoke publicly about the affair. The grand jury alleges that Greitens knowingly took a photograph of the woman and transmitted it via computer. On January 10, 2018, Greitens acknowledged having an affair in 2015 but denied that he threatened to blackmail the woman involved. Click here for more information about the indictment.[18]
On May 14, 2018, the day the trial was set to begin, attorneys representing the state of Missouri announced the felony invasion of privacy charge against Greitens would be dropped. The decision came after St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner—a prosecuting attorney in the case—was named as a trial witness. Following the announcement, leaders of the Missouri House called for a continuation of the state legislature's investigation into Greitens.[19]
Oversight Committee report on blackmail (2018)
On April 11, 2018, the Missouri state House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight released a report on allegations that Greitens had blackmailed a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. The report said that Greitens sexually assaulted and physically abused the woman as well. Greitens denied the allegations.[20] Initially saying he would not step down, Greitens resigned from office on June 1, 2018.[1] For a complete timeline of events and information on all charges, click here.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Greitens and his former wife, Sheena, have two sons.[6]
State profile
| Demographic data for Missouri | ||
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,076,204 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 68,742 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 82.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.8% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.4% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3.9% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 88.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $48,173 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Missouri. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Missouri
Missouri voted Republican in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.
More Missouri coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Missouri
- United States congressional delegations from Missouri
- Public policy in Missouri
- Influencers in Missouri
- Missouri fact checks
- More...
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 CNN, "Embattled Missouri Governor Eric Greitens resigns amid scandals," May 29, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Alan Scher Zagler and Summer Ballentine, Navy Times, "Former Navy SEAL Greitens running for Missouri governor," September 28, 2015
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Greitens sworn in as Missouri governor, signals that outside status will remain," January 9, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jason Hancock, The Kansas City Star, "Missouri Republican governor candidates to debate tonight," November 3, 2015
- ↑ AP News, “Ex-wife accuses top Missouri GOP Senate candidate of abuse,” accessed April 5, 2022
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The New York Times, “Ex-Wife of Eric Greitens, Senate Candidate in Missouri, Accuses Him of Abuse,” accessed April 5, 2022
- ↑ State of Missouri, City of St. Louis, "Complaint," April 20, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Missouri governor indicted over handling of charity donor list," April 20, 2018
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcomputerdrop - ↑ New York Daily News, "Republican Missouri governor vows to not resign amid shocking claims he slapped, blackmailed mistress," January 11, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens admits to affair but denies blackmail allegation," January 10, 2017
- ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Gov. Greitens faces calls for investigation, resignation over blackmail allegations," January 11, 2018
- ↑ KMOV 4, "Blackmail alleged as Governor Greitens admits to extramarital affair," January 10, 2018
- ↑ The St. Augustine Record, "Prosecutor launches probe of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens following extramarital affair revelation," January 12, 2018
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Missouri Republicans debate whether Greitens should stay or go," January 17, 2018
- ↑ KMOV.com, "Greitens' attorney: No truth to resignation rumors," January 19, 2018
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Democrats want Greitens to sign an affidavit certifying his denials," January 24, 2018
- ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Gov. Greitens indicted for felony invasion of privacy stemming from affair," February 22, 2018
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCNN - ↑ Vox, "A disturbing report finds Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens coerced a woman into sex, then blackmailed her," April 11, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jay Nixon (D) |
Governor of Missouri 2017-2018 |
Succeeded by Mike Parson (R) |
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State of Missouri Jefferson City (capital) |
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