Parson elected governor

Incumbent: ‘Election was about preserving freedom, capitalism, rule of law’

There is more work to be done, and that work starts tomorrow,” incumbent Gov. Mike Parson declared to supporters Tuesday night after securing a convincing win at the polls.

The Republican governor told supporters at a rally in Springfield late Tuesday night: “This election was about preserving freedom, capitalism and the rule of law.”

He added: “This is our time. And I’ve said that time and time again across the state on every stop I’ve made for the last year, because I believe it’s me and you.”

According to unofficial, but complete state returns, Parson won more than 57.1 percent or 1,713,152 votes, according to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office.

At the Springfield rally, he said people believe in “common sense,” don’t like to be told what to do by government, and that it’s “our time” to protect the Constitution and the American dream.

Parson — a cattle farmer, U.S. Army veteran and former Polk County sheriff, state representative and state senator — was elected lieutenant governor in November 2016, winning almost 52.8 percent of the more than 2.76 million votes cast for that race at the time.

He became governor in June 2018 following the resignation of former Gov. Eric Greitens and ran this year for a full term.

Parson is a conservative who has favored what he calls a “balanced approach” to the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing businesses and schools to operate while imploring Missourians to act responsibly to slow the spread of the virus. But Missouri is among several Midwestern states that have seen big increases in confirmed cases and hospitalizations, which Parson’s principal rival in the race, Democratic State Auditor Nicole Galloway, has blamed on a “failure of leadership.”

Galloway received 40.5 percent of the votes (1,216,192) statewide in the race.

Libertarian candidate Rik Combs of Lohman received 1.63 percent of the vote (48,843); Green Party candidate Jerome Bauer received 0.57 percent of the vote (17,117).

Galloway said Tuesday night in Columbia that while Parson and she have their differences, “I respect the service he has provided Missourians throughout his career.”

“We all must come together to defeat the virus” she said, adding the state must also expand Medicaid and be a place where children can thrive.