Chris Koster leads in Missouri attorney general race

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's current attorney general claimed an early victory Tuesday in his governor race, but the race to replace him was far closer.

With about three-quarters of the state's precincts reporting, Democrat Chris Koster led Republican Michael Gibbons by 28,000 votes. It was the state's first open attorney general race in 16 years because Democrat Jay Nixon skipped re-election to run for governor.

Democratic Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, of St. Louis, easily won re-election against Republican Mitch Hubbard, of Fulton. Carnahan had won about 60 percent of the vote with about three-quarters of the state's precincts reporting.

Carnahan was one of the lone bright spots for Missouri Democrats when she won election in the otherwise Republican year of 2004. This year, high-profile Republicans decided against challenging Carnahan, who is the daughter of a former governor and former U.S. senator and the sister of a congressman.

In the lieutenant governor's race, the incumbent, Peter Kinder, held a 152,000 vote lead over Democratic challenger Sam Page, of Creve Coeur.

Kinder, of Cape Girardeau, spent two weeks this year lining up support for a gubernatorial run before abruptly switching course. When he instead decided to run for re-election, he went on the offensive even before Page had won the Democratic primary. In their first debate, Kinder called Page a hypocrite who has cast self-serving votes.

Page has accused Kinder of misusing state funds to support pet projects, such as a professional bicycle race, and of allowing state staff to do political work.

In the state treasurer's race, Republican Brad Lager, of Savannah, led Democrat Clint Zweifel, of Florissant by 24,000 votes.