As Election Night results came in, it was revealed that Missouri held onto a Senate seat that's been represented by a Republican for ten years. Senator-elect Eric Schmitt (R-MO), who is attorney general, defeated his Democratic opponent. The state will continue to be represented by two Republicans in the Senate.
“Let’s be clear, the Biden administration’s unchecked assault on our jobs, on our families, on our liberties, on our values must end,” Schmitt said in remarks at his campaign watch party on Election Night.
“The era of fighting back and speaking out for the rights of parents and small business owners and working families is just beginning,” he added, alluding to the issue of parental rights in education, which has been a hot-button issue in several states.
In one of his recent campaign ads, Schmitt promised to "take a blowtorch" to Biden's agenda.
Missourians want a fighter in the U.S. Senate and I’m taking a blowtorch to Biden’s socialist agenda. #MOSen pic.twitter.com/N2vjPPoh2P
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) July 5, 2022
Last month, his opponent said that he would "burn down Missouri with a blowtorch if he could senator of the ashes" and that he was creating divisiveness.
Eric Schmitt would burn Missouri down with a blowtorch if he could be senator of the ashes. I think that we need a new kind of politics that puts the focus back on helping and uniting Missourians from every corner of our state — not dividing us. This November the choice is clear. pic.twitter.com/nbpzJfy21e
— Trudy Busch Valentine (@buschvalentine) October 17, 2022
As Townhall covered, Schmitt has served as Missouri’s attorney general since 2019. He ran against Trudy Busch Valentine for an open Senate seat after Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican, announced that he would not be seeking reelection.
Busch Valentine was unsuccessful in her attempt to flip the seat. With about 40 percent of the vote, she conceded in a thread posted to Twitter, where she claimed she ran for office to “protect our democracy.”
Tonight did not go the way so many of us had hoped. While I am incredibly proud of the campaign we built together and the tireless work we did to get our message out across the state, a majority of voters have spoken and I am committed to respecting their will and these results.
— Trudy Busch Valentine (@buschvalentine) November 9, 2022
Thank you to everyone who voted, volunteered, knocked doors, made calls, or shared their stories with me—from the farms to the cities and everywhere in between. I've learned so much because you taught me so much. I'll always continue working to make Missouri the best it can be.
— Trudy Busch Valentine (@buschvalentine) November 9, 2022
Polls recently showed that Schmitt was in a double-digit lead in the race. The final results showed Schmitt winning with 57 percent of the votes. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) wrote on Twitter that he is looking forward to serving together.
HUGE congratulations to @Eric_Schmitt - the next Senator from Missouri. Can’t wait to serve with him
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) November 9, 2022