Democrats have taken a Missouri Senate seat previously held by Republicans in the first electoral test since the resignation of GOP Gov. Eric Greitens last week.
In what's considered a closely divided part of Clay County, Democratic state Rep. Lauren Arthur defeated Republican Rep. Kevin Corlew, gaining neary 60 percent of the vote to Corlew's 40 percent in Tuesday's unofficial results. But her victory doesn't change the fact that Republicans hold strong majorities in both chambers of the legislature.
Arthur will succeed former GOP Sen. Ryan Silvey, who resigned in January when he was appointed to the state Public Service Commission with two years left on his Senate term. The latest results from the Clay County Board of Election Commissioners may be found here.
In 2016, the district chose Silvey for a second term with 61 percent of the vote. That same year, President Donald Trump won in the district by 4 percentage points over Democrat Hillary Clinton. But two Democrats, U.S. Senate hopeful Jason Kander and gubernatorial candidate Chris Koster, slightly outpaced the Republicans who were ultimately elected statewide.
Arthur, a teacher who has served in the state House since 2015, sounded traditional Democratic themes in her campaign, including support for labor, abortion rights and increased spending on education and social services. She opposed tax cuts approved this year by the Republican-led legislature and was among the first lawmakers to call on Greitens to resign over allegations of sexual impropriety.
Arthur took a break Tuesday night from celebrating with some 200 supporters at Paul & Jack's Tavern in North Kansas City to say she believed Greitens' governing — and not just his behavior — contributed to her victory.
"I think Eric Greitens, during his administration, prioritized the needs of billionaires and corporations and special interests ahead of the needs of working Missourians," Arthur told KCUR. "If anything, this election is a message that that's no longer acceptable."
Corlew is an attorney who will remain a member of the House, where he has served since 2015 and is facing a re-election campaign.
He acknowledged that "events beyond our control" may have played a factor in the campaign, but said he didn't think his race was a "test case" for Republicans. He also said he is looking forward to gearing up for the Aug. 7 primary and, if he makes it through that, the November general election.
"We've got a House race to continue to work toward the values that I expressed in my campaign," Corlew said Tuesday night. "To make sure we have good paying jobs here in the Northland, to make sure that our schools are world-class, to make sure we have a low tax burden on our seniors and our working families."
About 20 percent of the district's registered voters turned out Tuesday to decide a race in which lots of money was spent on TV ads in the final month, from Corlew and Arthur's campaigns, as well as from outside groups. Democrats like Arthur hope it's a sign of things to come in a year that has been tumultuous for Missouri Republicans.
"I think it shows that when we work hard and we talk to issues that affect working families, talk about growing and strengthening the middle class," Arthur said, "then we can compete anywhere."
Brian Ellison is host of KCUR's Statehouse Blend Missouri and reports on Missouri politics and government. Follow him @ptsbrian.
