Category: kmiz-local-news

Mitchell Kaminski

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KMIZ) 

State Sen. Rick Brattin is projected to win the Republican nomination in the newly drawn 5th District.

Six Republicans competed for the chance to challenge longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver in a dramatically reshaped 5th Congressional District.

Decision Desk HQ is projecting Brattin to win the nomination as he earned 44% of the vote with about half of the precincts reported, as of 9 p.m.

Brattin emerged as one of the race’s highest-profile contenders after receiving endorsements from President Donald Trump and Gov. Mike Kehoe. 

Trump endorsed Brattin on Monday on his social media site Truth Social, praising his military service and voting record in the Missouri Senate, saying that the 46-year-old would bring a “Fighting Spirit” to Congress. 

Trump congratulated Brattin on his social media on Tuesday.

Brattin hosted an election watch party in Independence. 

On the campaign trail, Brattin has focused heavily on immigration, calling illegal immigration one of the biggest issues facing the district. He has argued that reducing illegal immigration would also help lower costs for Americans because immigrants are taking jobs and housing, when asked by ABC 17 News how he planned to tackle affordability. 

The Republican field also includes Taylor Burks, Brett Hueffmeier, Micah Beebe, Berton Knox and Brad Patty. Cleaver is unopposed in the Democratic primary, while independent Todd Becker has also filed for the November general election. 

While Tuesday’s primary will determine who advances to November, the bigger story may be the district itself. 

Missouri lawmakers redrew the 5th Congressional District during a 2025 special legislative session with the stated goal of creating a more Republican-friendly seat. The district, once centered almost entirely around Kansas City, now stretches from the Kansas border to Osage County and includes much of Boone County as well as all of Cole County. 

Under the new map, 12 of the district’s 14 counties voted Republican in the 2024 statewide general election, with Boone and Jackson counties as the lone districts to vote Democrat. However, Boone County is now split under the new map, with only the northeastern portion remaining in the 5th Congressional District, potentially reducing Democratic influence in the race.

Those changes have transformed what had been considered a reliably Democratic district into one Republicans believe is far more competitive. Cleaver has represented the district since 2005 and won the past three general elections under the previous district boundaries. The redrawn map, however, creates a significantly different political landscape heading into November. 

Another indicator to watch Tuesday night will be voter turnout. GOP primary participation has been lower compared to Democrats in recent years.

Before the redrawn maps, Sean Smith, who ran unopposed in the 2024 Republican primary, received 32,574 votes, compared to Cleaver, who got 65,248 and also ran unopposed. 

In the past three general elections won by Cleaver, the highest percentage of the vote a Republican candidate received was 38.6% by Ryan Derks in 2020. 

Election results and turnout from both parties could provide an early indication of whether the redrawn district is behaving more like the Republican-leaning seat lawmakers envisioned or remains competitive heading into the general election.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Boone County totals on Amendments 4 and 5 have been corrected.

LINK: Full results

Columbia’s Proposition 1 squeaked by to win passage Tuesday, with “yes” beating “no” by just 85 votes.

Proposition 1 is a 1% sales tax for police. With its passage, sales tax in some areas of Columbia will be near 10%.

The measure garnered 15,042 votes in support and 14,957 votes against.

In the Columbia City Council Fourth Ward race, Sharon Jones won easily, with 3,930 votes. The next highest vote-getter was Dave Sorrell, with 2,926.

Boone County voters, like the state as a whole, rejected Amendments 4 and 5 by overwhelming margins. For Amendment 4, the total was 39,028 ‘no’ to 7,042 ‘yes’. For Amendment 5, those numbers were 39,763 and 6,292, respectively.

Turnout in Boone County fell just short of the 40% projection made by Clerk Brianna Lennon, settling at 36% of the county’s approximately 127,000 active voters.

Kehoe pledges to keep working on income tax elimination after Amendment 5’s failure

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said Tuesday night that he hasn’t given up on eliminating Missouri’s income tax despite the massive failure of Amendment 5.

The amendment would have given the General Assembly the power to phase out the state’s income tax and replace it with other tax sources.

“While Amendment 5 did not earn the support it needed, I believe our work is far from over,” Kehoe said in a statement posted on social media. “I remain committed to working with the General Assembly in the years ahead on ways to continue cutting taxes, growing our state’s economy, and pursuing conservative policies that help Missouri families keep more of what they earn.”

Mann wins Democratic nomination in Third District

Bethany Mann has won the Democratic nomination in Missouri’s Third Congressional District for the second election in a row.

Mann, a scientist by trade, took 67% of the vote in the three-way race against Tommy Holstein and Paul T. Wilson. She moves on to face incumbent Republican Bob Onder in November to win a seat in the redrawn Third District that now includes most of Columbia.

Griffith wins Cole County clerk seat to land in post-House

State Rep. Dave Griffith, a Republican who represents Jefferson City in the Missouri House, will now be Cole County’s top election official.

Griffith took 66% of the vote for clerk, compared to 44% for Jeff Ahlers. Republican Steve Korsmeyer is retiring as clerk at the end of the year.

Jefferson City residents approved the extension of their capital improvements sales tax with 75% of the vote.

Cole County residents also went the same way as the rest of the state on Amendments 4 and 5, voting 80% “no” on Amendment 4 and 87% “no” on Amendment 5.

Turnout in the county topped 43%.

Chism wins Republican nomination for Callaway County presiding commissioner

Former Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism won his party’s nomination for presiding commissioner on Tuesday. He’ll now move on to face a Democrat in November.

Chism earned nearly 45% of the vote in the three-way race with Rob Barnes and Larry Robinson, each of whom had about 30%. Chism received 3,300 votes. County voter turnout was about 37% of Callaway County’s approximate 30,000 registered voters.

Republican Chism will move on to face Mike Conner in November.

Sharon Jones holds large lead in Columbia City Council race

Lobbyist Sharon Jones held a commanding lead in the Columbia City Council Ward 4 race as votes were still being tallied Tuesday night.

Jones had 1,270 votes to Dave Sorrell’s 675 and Ryan King’s 175 in the county clerk’s last update a little before 9 p.m.

The “yes” votes for Proposition 1, a sales tax for public safety, held about a 200-vote lead over the “no” votes with about 10,000 ballots cast.

Capital improvements tax wins in Jefferson City; Bernskoetter wins presiding commissioner

ABC 17 News is projecting Jefferson City’s capital improvements sales tax extension will win approval, state Sen. Mike Bernskoetter will win presiding commissioner and Cotton Walker will win reelection as a judge.

With 12 of 15 Jefferson City precincts in, the “yes” votes for Proposition 1 were in the lead with 75%. Meanwhile, Bernskoetter, with more than two-thirds of the precincts in countywide, had 80% of the vote in his race.

Judge Cotton Walker also had 80% of the vote.

Votes close in Columbia’s Proposition 1 race among absentees

The yes and no votes for Columbia’s Proposition 1 — a sales tax that would benefit police and fire — were neck-and-neck among ballots cast by absentee voters.

More than 5,000 absentee ballots were cast on the issue, with 2,865 yes votes to 2,502 no votes.

Brattin projected to win GOP nomination in Fifth District

FULL ELECTION RESULTS

State Sen. Rick Brattin will win the Republican party nomination for the redrawn Fifth Congressional District, Decision Desk HQ projects.

With about 11% of precincts reporting, Brattin had 40% of the vote in the six-way race for the nomination to take on Democrat Emanuel Cleaver in November. The next closest candidate was Boone County’s Taylor Burks.

District 5 covered Kansas City under the old congressional map. Under a new map pushed by the White House and passed by the Republican supermajority in Missouri’s General Assembly, the district now takes in large parts of rural Missouri, including part of Boone County.

Leads grow in Cole County races

The leaders are putting more distance between themselves and other candidates in the races for presiding commissioner and county clerk in Cole County.

With 10 or 29 precincts in, current state Sen. Mark Bernskoetter has about 70% of the vote in his race against Paul Dupuis. Current state Rep. Dave Griffith has about 60% of the vote in his race against Jeff Ahlers for the Republican nomination for county clerk.

No Democrats are running for those seats.

Amendment 5 projected to fail

Amendment 5, which would allow the General Assembly to phase out income tax and replace it with other tax sources, is projected to fail.

With about 7% of precincts in, 85% of voters had said “no” to the amendment. Decision Desk HQ projected the amendment would fail.

Amendment 1, which continues a sales tax for parks and conservation, and Amendment 2, which creates the position of elected assessor in Jackson County, are both projected to pass.

First ballots counted in Cole County

With absentee ballots counted, Mark Bernskoetter holds a commanding lead in the presiding commission race against opponent Paul Dupuis.

Term-limited House member Dave Griffith, a Republican who represents Jefferson City, held a commanding lead in his race for county clerk.

With just a few precincts reporting, voters had overwhelmingly chosen to extend a half-cent sales tax for capital improvements in Jefferson City.

Amendment 4 projected to fail

Amendment 4 is projected to fail, according to Decision Desk HQ.

ABC 17’s election data provider projected that Amendment 4, which would make it harder to pass initiative petitions statewide, would fail, with 85% of votes that were counted at the top of the night against it.

Amendment 4 would require initiative petitions to pass each of the state’s eight congressional districts to take effect.

Lines reported at Boone County polling places

Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said a little after 7 p.m. that lines had formed at some polling places.

Lennon said her office had received reports of lines, but she didn’t have specifics about which polling places were affected. The lines were not long, Lennon said.

Under the law, people standing in line when polls are supposed to close at 7 p.m. can still vote.

Turnout was at about 37% at 7 p.m. That number does not count mail-in absentee ballots, she said. Lennon predicted turnout around 40%.

Major statewide ballot issues such as Amendments 4 and 5 and local issues such as Columbia’s Prop 1 public safety sales tax helped to drive up turnout for a typically sleepy August midterm primary.

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Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

After months of campaigning against Amendments 4 and 5, the Missouri Realtors are taking home a win as Missouri voters turn down the ballot measures.

Missouri Realtors campaign spokesperson Scott Charton cheered the election night crowd of about 40 people around 8:15 p.m. after preliminary results rolled in, showing the amendments were likely to fail.

“The people have spoken. The people spoke loudly, clearly and overwhelmingly. Amendments 4 and 5 have been soundly defeated,” Charton said to a crowd of cheering supporters. “Amendments 4 and 5 have been buried so deep in citizen rejection, they should never come back.”

Gov. Mike Kehoe, a long-time proponent of eliminating the state income tax, posted on social media following the called races, saying he would continue to work to give Missourians tax breaks.

Throughout this conversation on eliminating the state income tax, we made the case that Missouri should think boldly about its future, challenge the status quo, and pursue policies that make our state more competitive.

While Amendment 5 did not earn the support it needed, I…

— Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) August 5, 2026

Missouri Realtors president-elect Brent Sager said many voters he talked with while campaigning against the measures didn’t like Amendment 5, which would have allowed lawmakers to phase out the state income tax.

“I hear from everybody, ‘No on 5, no on 5,” Sager said. “I’ve talked to a lot of staunch Republicans that have told me, ‘I’m the furthest right feather on the right wing of that bird,’ and I ask, ‘Well, what do you think about five,’ and they say, ‘No position on five.”

The Missouri Realtors PAC has spent millions against Amendment 5 through Missourians for Fair Taxation PAC because they believe the ballot measure would have dramatically raised sales taxes to make up the revenue loss from the state income tax.

Lawmakers have indicated that if the income tax is phased out, then sales tax could go up, and the sales tax base could be expanded. However, state Rep. Bishop Davidson (R-Republic) said there would be exemptions for essentials like healthcare, real estate and groceries.

Davidson said it would close loopholes in Missouri law that prevent sales tax from being collected on things like services.

However, those exemptions are not written into the law, and voters will have to trust lawmakers to keep their promises.

Missouri Realtors are also opposing Amendment 4 through the PAC Missourians for Fair Governance. If it had passed, that ballot measure would have required a majority of voters in all eight of the state’s congressional districts to approve a referendum. Opponents say it could take 5% of voters to turn down any petition.

“Our fellow Missourians have sent a powerful message to Jefferson City: The people are in charge. The majority rules, and every citizen’s vote counts equally,” Charton said.

Proponents, including Gov. Mike Kehoe and the Missouri Farm Bureau, claim this will make it harder for out-of-state interest groups to sway Missouri politics.

If Missourians approved Amendment 4, the law would reduce the maximum fine for people convicted of signature fraud from $10,000 to $1,000. Rep. Ed Lewis (R-Moberly) said this is to stay consistent with the Missouri Constitution.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Amendments 4 and 5 failed at the ballot box on Tuesday.

Dennis Ganahl, with MO Tax Relief — a group backing the ballot measure — shared his disappoint over the failure to pass.

“We’re very disappointed that Missouri voters have decided to do nothing to move our state forward,” Ganahl said. “That said we’re committed to making Missouri competitive and attractive, so people will move here in the future, and that companies won’t move out.”

Gov. Mike Kehoe took to social media and echoed a similar statement.

Throughout this conversation on eliminating the state income tax, we made the case that Missouri should think boldly about its future, challenge the status quo, and pursue policies that make our state more competitive.

While Amendment 5 did not earn the support it needed, I believe our work is far from over.

“I remain committed to working with the General Assembly in the years ahead on ways to continue cutting taxes, growing our state’s economy, and pursuing conservative policies that help Missouri families keep more of what they earn.

Amendment 5 would move to eliminate the state’s income tax by increasing sales and use taxes over time. Amendment 4 would change the state’s initiative petition process by requiring ballot issues to win a majority in all eight congressional districts rather than a statewide simple majority,” Kehoe’s statement read.

Gov. Mike Kehoe said Tuesday after casting his ballot that if Amendment 5 passed, he would not call a special session to start the “redesign” of Missouri’s tax structure.

“The legislature actually has five years to come up with a plan,” Kehoe said.

As lawmakers would eliminate the state’s income tax, they would increase the state’s sales and use tax rates. Local governments would have to simultaneously change their sales and use taxes.

“No. 1, it’s easy to say “no” to anything,” Kehoe said. “No. 2, whoever is putting a lot of money into that campaign obviously has some tax benefits and things that they like right now. Not saying that’s good or bad, but that’s usually how that works.”

Supporters of the amendment claim it would bring more businesses and jobs to the state while also keeping the younger population around long-term.

“Our economy has been stagnant for several decades now. Growth is very slow, we’re losing population,” said Camellia Peterson, the Legislative Director for Americans for Prosperity in Missouri. “The average Missouri will have an extra $2,700; $2,800 in their pocket.”

Supporters of Amendment 4 allege it would “protect election integrity” and promote transparency. Campaign Manager for Protect Election Integrity Ray Bozarth said it represents “good government.”

“Oftentimes the full text of the initiative petition isn’t available to voters and there’s also kind of a lack of public input,” Bozarth said.

Bozarth said if the amendment passes, it would ensure every district in the state is heard, instead of lawmakers focusing on the larger districts to reach the majority of the populace.

“The the reason for increasing the buy-in from a simple majority to majorities in every congressional district is just the idea that if you’re gonna amend the Constitution, we’re not talking about statutes, amending a state constitution you have to get buy-in from every single corner of the state, you can’t ignore one area of voters,” Bozarth said.

Bozarth said the amendment will especially add guardrails into place when lawmakers try and change the state constitution.

“It shouldn’t be easy to amend a state constitution,” Bozarth said. “Right now, Missouri state constitution has 126 amendments and is over 200 pages long. Compare that with the US Constitution, which only has 27 amendments.”

Polls closed at 7 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One of the seven people arrested following a brawl that occurred early July 26 in downtown Columbia has been charged with a felony and two misdemeanors.

Tinoz’shia Harris was charged on Tuesday in Boone County with third-degree assault of a special victim, misdemeanor resisting arrest and misdemeanor causing a peace disturbance. Court filings indicate she posted a $6,500 last month. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25.

A Columbia police officer wrote in the probable cause statement that Harris was fighting another woman at 1:24 a.m. July 26 at the intersection of North Ninth Street and East Walnut Street.

The officer used pepper spray on both women and he wrote that Harris knocked the pepper spray from his hand while the woman she fought ran away, the statement says. Harris also allegedly tried to run away and she allegedly hit the officer on the top of his head while he was detaining her, court documents say.

A video posted on social media at the time shows multiple people fighting downtown and police responding.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Multiple firefighters were treated for heat-related illness on Tuesday after they responded to a fire at the new McDonald’s at 200 South Providence Road, Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer told an ABC 17 News reporter on Tuesday afternoon.

The Columbia Fire Department later stated in a press release that two firefighters were evaluated.

The road was shut down between and Elm and Locust streets as first responders worked the area. Smoke was seen coming from the roof of the building when ABC 17 News arrived at 4:14 p.m.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw 10 firetrucks on the scene and at least three ladders were placed next to the building. Four firefighters were on the roof when ABC 17 News first arrived.

The fire at the building went from the main floor into the attic, Schaeffer said. No one who was in the building when the fire started was injured, Schaeffer said.

A cause has not been identified and Schaeffer said it’s too early to know if the fire was related to recent construction. The business is currently closed, but it is not a total loss. A day or time for reopening was not known.

Check back for updates.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ)

Columbia voters on Tuesday approved a 1% public safety sales tax that city leaders claim would generate about $38 million each year to support police and fire services.

The measure passed 15,042 votes to 14,957.

Members of the Columbia Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1055 gathered 7 p.m. Tuesday to watch election results as they wait to learn whether voters would approve the propositions.

During the past month, city officials held informational meetings in each of Columbia’s six wards to explain how the proposed tax would work and what the additional funding could provide if approved.

Columbia Professional Firefighters Union President Zachary Privette said firefighters, police officers and other supporters have spent weeks educating voters about what the proposed tax would fund.

Privette said he believes Columbia’s police and fire departments have fallen decades behind the city’s growing public safety needs. He said the additional funding would help both departments improve staffing, equipment and services to better protect the community.

“This new revenue generated will give us the opportunity to bring the department to 2026 and take us into the future,” Privette said.

While acknowledging that many families are closely watching their budgets, Privette said he believes the added cost of the sales tax would be outweighed by the long-term benefits. He said the investment would strengthen emergency response capabilities and improve public safety for Columbia residents.

After learning about the victory, Christian Hulan, the secretary-treasurer for Local 1055, said the funding will allow firefighters to respond faster and better serve the community.

“The new stations are going to go in areas where we have geographically long response times and certain parts of the cities where we expect growth and expected increased demand, and so ultimately, in certain parts of the cities, that’s going to mean faster response time, which is going to result in a safer community.” Hulan said.

Police department cites staffing and space needs

During one of the city’s public meetings last month, Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude said the department’s top priorities include increasing officer pay to remain competitive with other law enforcement agencies across Missouri.

In July, Schlude said Columbia has grown significantly during the past 26 years, stretching department resources.

“We’ve added about 49,000 people and about 15 additional square miles, which is a 20-28% land mass increase that we’re responsible for providing services for,” Schlude said.

According to the department, Columbia currently has 1.40 police officers per 1,000 residents, compared with 1.49 officers per 1,000 residents 26 years ago.

Schlude also said the department’s current headquarters no longer meets the needs of modern policing, making a new facility one of the department’s largest priorities.

Fire department looks to improve response times

If approved, the tax would also fund major investments in the Columbia Fire Department, including hiring 42 additional firefighters, building two new fire stations and renovating three existing stations.

Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said adding 42 firefighters would allow every fire apparatus to be staffed with four firefighters instead of three.

“Those 42 will allow us to put a fourth firefighter on all of our apparatus. We currently only have three. Adding that fourth person allows us to split crews and basically double our effectiveness when it really matters,” Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer said the department opened an interim fire station in Ward 1 in May, an area made up largely of single-family homes. While the neighborhood is considered lower risk, he said firefighters still face longer response times because of the city’s continued growth.

“We want to be at your door 90% of the time within five minutes after we get alerted,” Schaeffer said. “We used to be able to achieve that. As the city has grown, there are areas and pockets of the city where we’re no longer able to meet that goal.”

Check back for updates.

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Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City businessman Jake Vogel is the GOP nominee for Missouri’s Sixth Senate District.

Six Republican hopefuls sought Missourians’ vote for the chance to advance from Tuesday’s primary race to the November general election.

Republican Mike Bernskoetter has represented Camden, Cole, Miller, Moniteau and Morgan counties in the Missouri State Capitol Building since 2019. He is leaving the seat open in January due to term limits. As it stands, Vogel will face J. Don Salcedo in the general election– the Democrat nominee who ran unopposed in District 6.

“I don’t even like to use the word politician,” Vogel said. “I know I am one now, we’re trying to fight to be one. We still have a general. But I, we’re in the community and our family business is Coca-Cola. Our job is to build relationships. That’s what life is all about. And that’s what I preach on the campaign trail to get stuff done. I’m not about noise. I’m about solutions. I want to work. I don’t need to be grandstanding. I’ll get any bill passed. If they need to put my name on it. But I have a knack for being positive and building relationships and giving back to the community, especially District 6 in the state of Missouri.”

The fifth-generation Coca-Cola franchisee said Gov. Mike Kehoe called him as final election results rolled in Tuesday night.

“He just said, ‘First and foremost, congratulations,'” Vogel said. “This is a grueling business. I’ve never done this before. I’m an old military guy. But this is a mental, grueling business. And [Kehoe said] hug your wife. That’s what we did. I shed a tear. I’ll be honest, I shared some good emotions. And we stayed positive and consistent with our message.”

The other candidates vying to fill the seat were Macks Creek restaurant owner Amber Buckles, Presiding Camden County Commissioner Todd “Ike” Skelton, former Jefferson City Councilman Derrick Spicer, former Rep. Lisa Thomas and Rep. Rudy Veit.

In mid-July, ABC 17 News asked each candidate why they believed they were the best fit for the Senator seat.

Jake Vogel wants to bring his business lens to the position.

“Just my background, I believe,” Vogel said. “I consider myself a community servant, being engaged in the community, giving back through our [Coca-Cola] products, and everything we can do to help out the schools, whether it be scoreboards. And again, I sell Coca-Cola for a living, so it’s an open, happy refreshment. So that’s how we survive in the community with the relationships that we are proud that we have built. And then my military skill set. People trusted their life with me, and that was my job. So I parlayed that, and taking care of the guys here [at Coca-Cola], I have worked with all types of guys from every walk of life here in business and in the military. I served with people from all different types of backgrounds all over the country, so I have a knack for building relationships and taking care of people.”

Rudy Veit believed his eight years of experience in the House of Representatives set him apart. He also already serves parts of Cole and Miller counties in the 59th District.

 “I have a very broad background,” Veit said. “I’ve been involved in community activities my whole life. And I can read the bills and understand the bills. I have eight years of experience. I just didn’t say, ‘Okay, I want be a senator.’ No, I took the route of going with the House of Representatives so I could learn the ropes in that … And I am also one of the few people that will stand up to establish money when I think something is fundamentally wrong. And that’s why I voted no on Amendment 5. I was one of three Republicans who voted. And I had to protect the constitutional rights of individuals to prevent us from having unlimited taxes on services, sales tax and everything. And also the spending of the Hancock Amendment, all on the promise of, ‘Trust me,’ and not any clear definition of what we’re going to do.”

Lisa Thomas believed her experience serving from 2021-25 in the House of Representatives and her background in health would help get important issues addressed.

 “I’m the only physician, so I understand healthcare, health, mental health and social services,” Thomas said. “That constitutes an enormous part of our annual state budget. I’ve had boots-on-the-ground experience, so I don’t just say, ‘We need to lower healthcare costs.’ That’s a big duh. What I can do is tell you, ‘We can do this, this and this today,’ and we can absolutely impact our costs. We need to negotiate a reasonable tort reform that’s going to lower individual and government healthcare costs tomorrow. We have a group of providers, the only ones by statute; we can tell them where to practice, and guess where that is? Rural and underserved communities. Bingo. That’s what we need to do. We need to be the welcoming state for that group of practitioners. Bring them in. Get them to work. We need to make sure that we have pricing transparency on drugs so that we can have the lowest cost. We need PBMs [pharmacy benefit managers] to be clear about what they’re doing. We need to protect the doctor-patient relationship. Government shouldn’t be interfering. You and your doctor should make decisions about your own healthcare and not be told you have to do this or that.”

Derrick Spicer said he thought he was the best choice because he was running on the basis of not being a “career politician.”

“I’m the best candidate for this seat because I’m actually for the constituents of District 6, because I’m one of them,” Spicer said. “And I want people to understand that everywhere in the district is just as important to me as the people in Jefferson City. I’m not a part of the establishment. I’m me. And I’ve been a fighter my whole life. And I want to continue to fight for the district.  I just think that it’s a situation where I have an opportunity to serve the people. I don’t have to do this. I said I’m doing this because they’re going to get one chance … to make a change. And I’m the change. If they want the same old crap, I’m not your guy. So if they want somebody that’s going to be actually for them, then I will get elected.”

Todd “Ike” Skelton said he had true passions for serving people that’s apparent in all he does.

 “I’ve been a servant most of my life,” Skelton said. “I’ve been in some sort of service through the military, through working, and through child support enforcement, family services. I was a corrections officer for a while. And then even when I was a locksmith, my last non-government profession, as it were, I still served people and helped take care of people, get them out of jams that they were in … And so I have a passion for serving people, and I am very passionate about our Constitution. I’m very passionate about small government, and I already have that in my heart. I’m not going to be a ‘yes’ person for any other politician. I’m not going to be a ‘yes’ person to leadership. I am not getting the big money from lobbyists that I’m then going to be beholden to. I’m not getting big money from corporations that I could maybe be beholden to. I’ll be beholden to the people. I’ll be beholden to the Constitution. And I truly do, I’ve had a lot of different experiences in life, which I believe give me that unique opportunity to understand where an awful lot of people are coming from.”

Amber Buckles said in a statement to ABC 17 News that her experience as an everyday, hardworking Missourian set her apart.

“What sets me apart is simple,” Buckles wrote. “I bring real-world experience, not political experience. As a small business owner, I understand what it means to balance a budget, make difficult decisions, solve problems, and serve people every day. I know what it feels like to work hard, pay taxes, and wonder where those tax dollars are going. I don’t believe government exists to control people’s lives. I believe it exists to serve the people, protect their constitutional rights—including the right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment—spend their tax dollars responsibly, and stay accountable to the citizens—not special interests. If elected, I will be accessible, transparent, and willing to listen. I may not have every answer on day one, but I will always ask questions, seek facts, and make decisions based on what is best for the hardworking people of Senate District 6 and the State of Missouri.”

Polls closed at 7 p.m.

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Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said Tuesday that a citizen-led referendum challenging a Republican-friendly map passed by the state legislature is “insufficient.”

Hoskins made the announcement at a news conference in Jefferson City about an hour before his deadline to certify the petition challenging the “Missouri First” congressional map.

Hoskins said the designation that the referendum is “insufficient, due to it being unconstitutional,” is based on court rulings and an opinion from the Missouri attorney general. The Missouri Constitution simply doesn’t allow a challenge to a congressional map, Hoskins maintained.

The “referendum itself is null and void by virtue of the fact that it is unconstitutional,” Hoskins said. He said no number of valid signatures would be enough to get the measure on the ballot.

Hoskins waited until the last day required by law to make a decision. ABC 17 News reached out to the secretary about two weeks before the deadline, and Hoskins said he was still reviewing signatures and researching the constitutionality of a referendum on a redistricting map.

The group backing the referendum, People Not Politicians, said before the news conference that it was prepared for Hoskins to call the referendum unconstitutional and is gearing up for another court battle, even though the group said it has more than enough signatures required by law.

People Not Politicians filed a lawsuit on Tuesday evening challenging Hoskins. The petition claims the referendum is sufficient.

The lawsuit argues “Hoskins did not identify the number of signatures gathered as a reason for deeming the Referendum insufficient.” It also says Hoskins’ claim “the Missouri and U.S. Constitutions prohibit subjecting a redistricting bill to the referendum” is incorrect.

26AC-CC00440 – VON GLAHN V HOSKINSDownload

Back in December, a federal judge ruled that Hoskins could declare the referendum unconstitutional, but many people are wondering why Hoskins waited until the last day to decide.

If Hoskins decides to certify the referendum, it would freeze the 2025 map, and Missouri would go back to the previous map passed in 2022. What this means for the August and November elections isn’t clear.

However, Hoskins has stuck by the 2025 map, saying it’s the “law of the land.” He reiterated those words Tuesday.

Lawmakers passed the map during a special session nearly a year ago. The 2025 map significantly alters District 5, which Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City) currently holds in Congress.

The map extends the district, which was centered primarily on Kansas City, across Missouri and into northern Boone County. Republican lawmakers are anticipating the district to flip from Democratic to Republican, giving Missouri seven GOP members and one Democrat in Congress.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A migrant who was deported from the United States four times was charged with multiple felonies after he allegedly chased a woman on July 22 in Jefferson City, court documents say.

Cesar Garcia-Duarte, 41, was charged on Tuesday in Missouri’s Western District Court with being a felon with a gun, being a migrant with a gun and illegal reentry.

The affidavit says Garcia-Duarte was deported from the country in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018 and had been convicted in 2014 with reentry of a removed migrant.

Court documents say the victim called police at 12:17 a.m. July 22, indicating a man had showed her drugs at a Jefferson City gas station and eventually tried to force her vehicle off the road while chasing her.

The statement says police saw Garcia-Duarte driving in a lane for oncoming traffic on Jackson Street near East Miller Street, alongside the victim’s vehicle. Jefferson City police tried to conduct a traffic stop and Garcia-Duarte stopped his vehicle before taking off, the statement says.

Garcia-Duarte eventually crashed his vehicle on the on-ramp of Highway 54 and his vehicle was found upside down in an embankment, court documents allege. Garcia-Duarte allegedly gave a fake name at University Hospital. Police found a gun without ammunition in Garcia-Duarte’s vehicle, the officer wrote.

Additionally, police also found two ID cards, one with Garcia-Duarte’s name that was issued in 2018 and expired in 2021 that indicated he was from El Salvador, the statement says. On the second ID, police saw it named “Carlos Enrique Ramos” from Mexico and that it expired in 2027, court documents allege.

Garcia-Duarte allegedly admitted to drinking 10 beers before driving his vehicle and claimed the victim asked for drugs, money and wanted to meet with him, court documents say. The victim refuted the claims and told police that Garcia-Duarte approached her at the gas station, started talking, but she did not understand what he was saying, the statement says.

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