Breaking down the U.S. Senate race in Missouri

By Nomin Ujiyediin,

Published November 4, 2022 at 4:00 AM CDT

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The Missouri general election battle for U.S. Senate has been somewhat tame compared to the wild primary season, but does that signal a unified rightward trajectory for the state? Plus: Voters in northwest Missouri say they’ve always been conservative but used to be able to call themselves Democrats.

Missourians will soon decide whether Republican Eric Schmitt or Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine will represent the state in the U.S. Senate. Compared to the wild primary season, the general election battle has been somewhat tame — perhaps a signal that the outcome could mirror the rightward trajectory of the state. But as St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum reports, Missouri Democrats are not going to give up without a fight.

Democrats used to be competitive in Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, about 20 years ago. Now, finding a Democrat in public office is becoming harder and harder. KCUR’s Carlos Moreno tells us how voters there have always been conservative, but the political labels have shifted.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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