KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Results from a heated special election on Tuesday could serve as a sign of things to come later this year in Missouri.
State Rep. Kevin Corlew (R-Clay County) and State Rep. Lauren Arthur (D-Clay County) squared off in the race to fill the 17th district State Senate seat for the Northland.
On Tuesday, voters said the election carried big stakes.
“I get something in the mail almost every single day,” explained Susan Lynn, who voted at Maple Woods Community College in the afternoon. “I think it’s kind of taking the temperature to see if we’ve had enough of the politics in Washington.”
Tuesday’s race served as the first of a number of significant elections across the state this year, highlighted by the Senate race likely between Attorney General Josh Hawley (R) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D).
Commercials against each candidate can seen in the metro and the race will likely get even more heated in the months ahead.
“The tone does seem to have some of the same hallmarks of 2016,” explained Park University political science assistant professor Matt Harris. “This is potentially a moment where we could see a tipping point in Missouri politics.”
McCaskill finds herself fighting for re-election after more than a decade in office.
Following sweeping wins by Republicans in Missouri two years ago, Harris said Democrats will hope to ride a “blue wave” seen in other states recently.
“2018 is going to be a year in Missouri where the Democrats try to strike back,” Harris explained.
Voters can expect gun rights and immigration to be some of the top issues this year.
Harris told 41 Action News that the fallout and impact of the Eric Greitens scandals still remain unknown.
“The Greitens news and his resignation is very fresh in early June but now that Mike Parson is the governor, what is that going to mean?” he said. “I think Republicans are probably pretty happy that Eric Greitens resigned because it does give them some window.”
Primaries for the Republican and Democratic parties will be held on August 7 for the Senate race.
Voters will also decide that day on whether or not Missouri should become a right-to-work state.
Moving forward, Harris said the voters will have big decisions to make later this year.
“It should be a year that will tell us quite a bit about the future direction of Missouri politics,” he said.
