Missouri Democrats have set a record for this century: they put up a candidate in 158 of the state’s 163 House districts, and in every statewide and State Senate election. Democrats are on the ballot in nearly 97% of this year’s races.
The same party let more than 30% of Missouri House seats go to Republicans uncontested in 2020. This year, that trend reversed — Democrats are giving Republicans 3%, and Republicans are giving Democrats 15%.
Some of these seats, like the House seat Democrat Jon Pennell is running for in Cass County, haven’t seen a Democrat on the ballot for a decade. Pennell said that is why he decided to run.
“I wanted to give people of our district an opportunity to have a choice,” Pennell said. “In 2022, I looked to see who was running and it was unopposed. I was really hoping that somebody would stand up and challenge him.”
At the time, Pennell worked in federal citizenship and immigration. After the Department of Government Efficiency cut his job, Pennell decided to run.
“A lot of people that are in the district are conservative Republicans, I used to be one,” Pennell said. “People are ready for a change.”
Incumbent Republican Rep. Bill Irwin did not provide comment for this story.
Both chambers in the Missouri Statehouse have been under a Republican supermajority — a two-thirds majority that can overturn a governor’s veto — for 14 years. The Democrats have tried, and failed, to overturn it.
The nonprofit political research site Ballotpedia called Missouri, and Kansas, “highly exposed to breaking” its supermajority. Missouri Democrats would need to flip two seats in the Senate or three in the House.
A handful of Republican-held House districts in the Kansas City area saw a larger turnout for Democrats in Tuesday’s primaries.
Republican Bill Allen represents House District 17 in Clay County. Democrats made up 57% of the votes on Tuesday’s primary.
Republican Rep. Mike Steinmeyer in Jackson County won his 2024 bid by 673 votes. Democratic votes outnumbered Republicans by 481 this primary.
Republican Speaker of the House Jonathan Patterson’s district in Lee’s Summit saw 1,500 more Democratic votes than Republican. Patterson is running for state senator this year in a Republican-held district that saw 4,300 more Democratic votes.
Tristin Amezcua-Hogan, communications director for the Missouri Democratic Party, said he feels like the Democrats are close to breaking the supermajority.
In general, the opposite party of the president tends to show up in larger numbers in the midterms. But Missouri Democrats tried and failed to overturn the Republican supermajority last time President Donald Trump was in office, too.
Why would this year be different?
“I think Missourians are pushing back,” Amezcua-Hogan said. “You look at the rising costs, the number of people who have increased medical charges, you look at rural hospitals being underfunded, you look at farm bankruptcies rising in Missouri."
