McCaskill elected; minimum wage hike passes

Democrat Claire McCaskill secured the U.S. Senate seat, ousting incumbent Republican Jim Talent. The race leaned in Talent’s favor for most of the night but ended with McCaskill pulling ahead with 49.5 percent of votes, compared to Talent’s 47.4 percent.

All but one statewide ballot issue passed, including constitutional amendments that allow stem-cell research, raise Missouri’s minimum wage to $6.50 per hour from $5.15, permit property tax exemption for veterans’ organizations’ nonprofit activities, and require elected officials to forfeit pensions upon felony conviction or removal from office. Amendment 3, which would have added a tobacco tax to create the Healthy Future Trust Fund, failed 51.7 percent to 48.3 percent.

In Springfield, a proposed ban on minors entering bars passed, 61.6 percent to 38.4 percent.

There was little surprise in the outcomes of the state House of Representative races. Local winners were: Jim Viebrock (R), 134th District; Charlie Denison (R), 135th District; B.J. Marsh (R), 136th District; Charlie Norr (D), 137th District; Sara Lampe (D), 138th District; Shane Schoeller, (R), 139th District; Bob Dixon (R), 140th District; and Mike Cunningham (R), 145th District.

Roy Blunt (R) keeps his 7th District U.S. House seat, while Dan Clemens (R) sealed the 20th District state Senate seat, and incumbent Norma Champion (R) took the 30th District Senate spot. Susan Montee (D) was elected state auditor.

All Greene County incumbents held their places. David Coonrod (D) held on as presiding commissioner of the county commission, Michael A. Carr (R) keeps the spot of circuit court clerk, and Richard Struckhoff (R) will remain as county commission clerk. Darrell Moore (R) will keep his seat as prosecuting attorney, and Cindy Stein (R) will continue as the county’s auditor.

Circuit judge seats were given to Don Burrell (R), Circuit 31 Division 1; Tom Mountjoy (D), Circuit 31 Division 4; and Calvin Holden (D), Circuit 31 Division 5. Associate circuit judge spots were awarded to Dan Imhof (R), Division 21; Jason R. Brown (D), Division 22; Mark Fitzsimmons (R), Division 23; and Mark Powell (D), Division 24.