Missouri Voters Crush Amendment 5 by 83-16, Oust GOP Senator Trent

3 articles · Updated · Missouri Independent · Aug 5

An 83-16 defeat for Amendment 5 became the clearest signal of Missouri’s primary, turning Gov. Mike Kehoe’s top priority into a statewide liability rather than a Republican loyalty test.
That backlash hit some candidates tied to Capitol power: Lori Rook unseated state Sen. Curtis Trent despite $838,000 in allied PAC spending, including more than $500,000 in attacks against her.
The revolt was selective, not broad-based. Greg Sharpe, who opposed the measure, won easily, but anti-establishment candidates Dusty Blue, Dan Stacy and Tricia Byrnes all lost by double digits.
Money also produced mixed results. A national school-choice group went 0-for-3 against Jill Carter, Bill Hardwick and Rook, while House Speaker Jon Patterson’s roughly $2.9 million advantage helped him beat Stacy.
The result leaves Missouri Republicans with no clear governing mandate: voters rejected the tax plan and punished some power brokers, but they did not endorse a wider insurgent overhaul.