2016 Missouri Attorney General election explained

Election Name:	2016 Missouri Attorney General election
Country:	Missouri
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2012 Missouri Attorney General election
Previous Year:	2012
Next Election:	2020 Missouri Attorney General election
Next Year:	2020
Election Date:	November 8, 2016
Image1:	File:Hawley-Josh-AG-portrait (crop).jpg
Nominee1:	Josh Hawley
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	1,607,550
Percentage1:	58.50%
Nominee2:	Teresa Hensley
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	1,140,252
Percentage2:	41.50%
Map Size:	275px
Attorney General
Before Election:	Chris Koster
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Josh Hawley
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2016 Missouri Attorney General election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the Attorney General of Missouri, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican Josh Hawley defeated the Democratic nominee Teresa Hensley.

Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster did not run for re-election to a third term in office, but was instead the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Teresa Hensley, former Cass County Prosecuting Attorney and nominee for MO-04 in 2012^[4]
• Jake Zimmerman, St. Louis County Assessor, former state representative and former assistant attorney general^{[5] [6]}

Withdrawn

• Scott Sifton, state senator (running for re-election)^{[7] [8]}

Declined

• Jennifer Joyce, St. Louis Circuit Attorney^{[9] [10]}
• Jason Kander, Missouri Secretary of State (running for the U.S. Senate)^[11]
• Chris Koster, incumbent Attorney General (running for Governor)^{[1] [2] [3]}
• Joe Maxwell, former Lieutenant Governor of Missouri^{[12] [13]}
• Jean Peters Baker, Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney^{[7] [14] [15]}
• Mike Sanders, Jackson County Executive, former Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney and former Chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party^{[7] [16] [17] [18]}

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Teresa Hensley	Jake Zimmerman	Undecided
SurveyUSA	July 20–24, 2016	500	± 4.4%	align=center	41%	39%	20%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	July 15–16, 2016	1,119	± 3.0%	26%	align=center	41%	33%
Remington Research Group (R)	September 18–19, 2015	1,589	± 2.4%	align=center	27%	23%	align=center	51%

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Josh Hawley, law professor at University of Missouri School of Law and former clerk for United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts^[19]
• Kurt Schaefer, state senator^[20]

Declined

• Catherine Hanaway, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri (running for Governor)^{[21] [22]}
• Tim Jones, Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives^{[14] [23] [24] [25]}
• Eric Schmitt, state senator (running for state treasurer)^{[26] [27]}

Controversy

Allegations of abuse of office by Missouri attorney general candidate Kurt Schaefer have surfaced: Schaefer allegedly pressured the former University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe to interfere with Josh Hawley's ability to run for attorney general. Hawley was a professor at the University of Missouri. Wolfe wrote in a January 19 email: "Schaefer had several meetings with me pressuring me to take away Josh Hawley's right to run for Attorney General by taking away an employee's right to ask for an unpaid leave of absence when running for public office." The email went on to say he was worried that Schaefer might influence cuts in the university's budget due to political fallout if he did not do as Schaefer asked.^[28]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Josh Hawley	Kurt Schaefer	Undecided
SurveyUSA	July 20–24, 2016	773	± 3.6%	34%	align=center	39%	28%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	July 7–8, 2016	1,022	± 3.0%	align=center	30%	28%	align=center	42%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	June 17–18, 2016	963	± 3.2%	21%	align=center	28%	align=center	51%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	May 13–14, 2016	1,421	± 2.7%	18%	align=center	23%	align=center	58%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	March 10–12, 2016	1,704	± 2.5%	12%	align=center	24%	align=center	64%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	October 23–24, 2015	1,033	± 3.0%	12%	align=center	19%	align=center	69%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	June 18–19, 2015	1,130	± 3.0%	9%	align=center	16%	align=center	75%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	April 3–4, 2015	621	± 3.9%	10%	align=center	15%	align=center	75%

Results

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Teresa Hensley (D)	Josh Hawley (R)	Undecided
The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group (R)	September 19–20, 2016	1,076	± 3.2%	38%	align=center	47%	15%
Remington Research Group (R)	September 1–2, 2016	1,275	± 3.0%	41%	align=center	47%	12%
Remington Research Group (R)	August 5–6, 2016	1,280	± 3%	44%	align=center	48%	8%
Remington Research Group (R)/Missouri Scout	April 15–16, 2016	1,281	± 3.0%	38%	38%	24%

Results

By congressional district

Hawley won 6 of 8 congressional districts.^[29]

District	Hensley	Hawley	Representative
		77%	23%		Lacy Clay
		41%	59%		Ann Wagner
		33%	67%		Blaine Luetkemeyer
		36%	64%		Vicky Hartzler
		57%	43%		Emanuel Cleaver
		36%	64%		Sam Graves
		28%	72%		Billy Long
		28%	72%		Jason Smith

See also

• Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016

External links

Official campaign websites

• Josh Hawley for Attorney General
• Teresa Hensley for Attorney General
• Kurt Schaefer for Attorney General
• Jake Zimmerman for Attorney General

Notes and References

1. Web site: Associated Press. State News: Mo. Attorney General Koster prepares to run for governor. seMissourian.com. April 10, 2013. October 14, 2014. August 3, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160803104147/http://www.semissourian.com/story/1957857.html. dead.
2. Web site: Chris Koster for Missouri governor? - St. Louis Business Journal . Bizjournals.com . April 10, 2013 . August 20, 2013.
3. News: Jo Mannies. Early Missouri governor's race new political normal. The Kansas City Star. February 16, 2014. May 21, 2014.
4. Web site: Teresa Hensley enters the Missouri attorney general race as Sen. Scott Sifton drops out. The Kansas City Star. Cummings. Ian. July 30, 2015. August 11, 2015.
5. Web site: Zimmerman considers bid for attorney general . Call Newspapers . November 19, 2014 . December 1, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150221215005/http://www.callnewspapers.com/Articles-Our-Town-i-2014-11-19-275865.112112-Zimmerman-considers-bid-for-attorney-general.html . February 21, 2015 . dead .
6. Web site: St. Louis County Assessor Zimmerman to run for Missouri AG . https://archive.today/20150128202011/http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/st-louis-county-assessor-zimmerman-to-run-for-missouri-ag/article_60925ed7-4bee-5bed-8992-44526133dc50.html . dead . January 28, 2015 . St. Louis Post Dispatch . January 27, 2015 . January 28, 2015 .
7. Web site: Sifton Jumps Into 2016 Contest For Missouri Attorney General . St. Louis Public Radio . November 9, 2014 . November 14, 2014.
8. Web site: Sifton drops out as 2016 Democratic candidate for Missouri attorney general. KWMU. Mannies. Jo. July 30, 2015. August 11, 2015.
9. Web site: What Up With Joyce?. Missouri Scout. Drebes. Dave. March 30, 2015. March 30, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402103143/http://moscout.com/what-up-with-joyce/. April 2, 2015. dead.
10. Web site: Just saw this: @JenniferJoyceCA has endorsed @ScottSifton for #MOAG. Twitter. Rosenbaum. Jason. April 1, 2015. April 15, 2015.
11. Web site: Jason Kander says he is running for reelection in 2016 . The Missouri Times . April 20, 2013 . November 14, 2014.
12. Web site: Rumorville: Koster Maxwell Sit. Missouri Scout. October 7, 2014. February 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150221210300/http://moscout.com/rumorville-koster-maxwell-sit/. February 21, 2015. dead.
13. Web site: 2016 Statewide Tip Sheet. The Missouri Times. February 16, 2015. February 21, 2015.
14. News: 2016 Outlook. The Missouri Times. Faughn. Scott. October 20, 2014. November 16, 2014.
15. Web site: Jean Peters Baker says she won't run for Missouri attorney general in 2016. The Kansas City Star. Helling. Dave. January 29, 2015. February 12, 2015.
16. Web site: Sanders May Consider Attorney General Race in 2016 . KOMU . August 25, 2013 . November 14, 2014.
17. Web site: Will Mike Sanders take the leap and run statewide?. The Kansas City Star. Kraske. Steve. January 27, 2015. February 12, 2015.
18. News: Sanders says he won't run for state office. The Examiner. Fox. Jeff. February 27, 2015. March 1, 2015.
19. Web site: MU professor Hawley announces run for attorney general. Columbia Daily Tribune. Keller. Rudi. July 24, 2015. August 11, 2015.
20. News: Sen. Kurt Schaefer plans run for attorney general . Colombia Daily Tribune . September 18, 2013 . November 12, 2014.
21. News: Looking past 2012 elections, Missouri Republicans gather for Lincoln Days . St. Louis Beacon . February 16, 2013 . November 6, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130720014459/http://stlbeacon.org/ . July 20, 2013 .
22. News: Republican Hanaway to run for Mo. governor in 2016. ksdk.com. February 11, 2014. February 12, 2014.
23. News: 'It could get bloody' — Experts forecast 2016 Missouri election . Springfield News-Leader . November 9, 2014 . November 12, 2014.
24. News: Tim Jones Won't Seek Statewide Office In 2016 . St. Louis Public Radio. Griffin. Marshall. November 6, 2014 . November 12, 2014.
25. News: Tim Jones: will not run for statewide office in 2016 . MissouriNet . November 6, 2014 . November 12, 2014.
26. News: State Sen. Eric Schmitt off and running for Missouri Treasurer . The Kansas City Star . July 2, 2014 . November 12, 2014.
27. News: Area State Senator Announces GOP Bid For Missouri Treasurer In 2016 . St. Louis Public Radio . July 2, 2014 . November 12, 2014.
28. News: AG candidate Schaefer may have broken laws, former prosecutor says. American Media Institute Newswire. February 1, 2016. February 2, 2016.
29. Web site: DRA 2020. Daves Redistricting.