Republicans ride historic night in Missouri election

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Republicans pulled off a clean sweep of Missouri's top offices on Election Day, giving the party an unprecedented level of dominance in the former bellwether state.

Donald Trump's victory at the top of the ticket Tuesday was just the start of the big night for Republicans in the Show-Me State.

Republicans went 5-for-5 in state contests. Former Navy Seal Eric Greitens defeated Attorney General Chris Koster in the race for governor, and Republican Sen. Roy Blunt held off a spirited challenge from Democrat Jason Kander.

"Tonight begins a new generation of conservative leadership here in Missouri," Greitens said in a victory speech early Wednesday in suburban St. Louis. "Tonight we did more than win an election, we restored power to the people and we took our state back."

Republicans also won the races for lieutenant governor (Mike Parson), attorney general (Josh Hawley), secretary of state (Jay Ashcroft) and treasurer (Eric Schmitt).

Missouri Republican Governor-elect Eric Greitens delivers a victory speech along side his wife Sheena and son Joshua Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in Chesterfield, Mo.(AP Photo/Jeff Curry)

Never before has the Republican Party in Missouri held such power across the board.

"What a great moment for our state," Blunt said in his victory speech in Springfield.

Greitens, 42, replaces Democrat Jay Nixon, who was ineligible because of term limits to seek a third term. He has never run for elected office before and touted himself as the ultimate outsider in beating three Republicans in a tough primary challenge before defeating Koster.

Koster congratulated Greitens in a concession speech and called for cooperation.

"Government is the synonym we use for cooperation," Koster said. "If we fail to cooperate as Missourians, we will find no path forward."

Fundraising in the race broke state records, with more than $72 million raised including money raised during a four-way GOP primary.

Blunt, 66, served seven terms in the House before winning election to the Senate in 2010. He'd never faced a close race before, but polls showed this election was tight from the outset as Kander, Missouri's 35-year-old secretary of state and a former Army intelligence officer who served in Afghanistan, emerged as one of the surprise candidates in any Senate race.

Although Blunt seldom mentioned Trump during the campaign, he said the prospect of putting a Republican in the White House holds great hope.

"A Republican president and a Republican Senate and a Republican House can do things to change this country and focus again on opportunity," Blunt said.

In the end, Blunt dominated the rural areas of the state, and that was enough to offset Kander's advantage in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.

In a short concession speech, Kander urged people of his generation to stick with politics despite the somber election results.

"They need to know that I'm not OK with them stepping away, that this country is a place you've got to stay invested in," Kander told supporters in Kansas City. "This generation is not going anywhere."

It was a mixed night for the sons of famous Missourians. Russ Carnahan is a former congressman from St. Louis and the son of former Gov. Mel Carnahan. He lost to Parson in the lieutenant governor race. Ashcroft is the son of John Ashcroft, a former two-term governor, U.S. senator and U.S. attorney general. He defeated Democratic candidate Robin Smith, a longtime TV reporter and anchor in St. Louis, and will replace Kander as secretary of state.

Hawley, a law professor, defeated Democratic Cass County prosecutor Teresa Hensley in the election for attorney general.

Schmitt defeated Democratic former state Rep. Judy Smith in the treasurer's race.

Both ballot measures to increase Missouri's lowest-in-the-nation tobacco tax failed. Amendment 3 would have added 60 cents to the cigarette tax through 2020; Proposition A would have increased the tax 23 cents by 2021. Missouri's tax is 17 cents per pack. The national average is $1.65 per pack.

Four other amendments passed. Amendment 1 will extend a one-tenth cent sales tax that funds state parks, historic sites and conservation efforts. Amendment 2 imposes a campaign contribution limit of $2,600 to candidates per election, and up to $25,000 to political parties. Amendment 4 prohibits sales taxes on services that weren't taxed as of last year, such as real estate agent services.

And in another victory for conservatives, Amendment 6 allows lawmakers to add voter photo identification requirements at the ballot box.