ST. LOUIS– The Associated Press has projected Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt as the winner in Tuesday’s GOP primary for the Missouri U.S. Senate in a race which has garnered national attention. 

Schmitt, former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler dominated the field of 21 candidates, which also included U.S. Rep. Billy Long, Missouri Senate Pro President Dave Schatz and St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey. 

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  • National Republicans had feared a Greitens win could put "safe" seat at risk

Long said on Twitter around 8:30 Tuesday night that he had called to congratulate and endorse Schmitt for the general election. 

Nationally, Republicans had feared that a Greitens win would put an otherwise safe GOP seat at risk in the general election, forcing the party to invest more resources here.

Greitens held a lead in polling through much of the cycle, despite his resignation from office in 2018 amid an affair which led to sexual assault and blackmail allegations. His primary campaign focused its fire on “RINOs” (Republicans In Name Only) with an ad campaign which depicted a military-style hunt. He slipped in polling after an ad blitz from a pro-Schmitt SuperPAC  highlighting domestic abuse made by his ex-wife Sheena Greitens. Eric Greitens has publicly denied the allegations, which were made in a court affidavit as part of a legal dispute over which court should have jurisdiction over the custody arrangement for the Greitens’ children. Sheena Greitens has moved to Texas since the two separated. A judge recently took testimony in closed court proceedings but has not announced a decision.

Greitens’ slide in the polls, along with former President Donald Trump’s decision in early July to come out and say he would not endorse Hartzler boosted Schmitt to a sometimes commanding polling lead in recent surveys, but Trump’s move Monday to endorse “ERIC”, without saying if he meant Greitens or Schmitt plunged the race into some late chaos.

Both candidates laid claim to the Trump mantle entering the race, backing Trump-era policies on immigration and embraced voter fraud allegations in the 2020 presidential election. Schmitt has sued the Biden administration over its rollback of Trump-era immigration policy, joined efforts to sue over the 2020 election in Pennsylvania and Texas, and sued dozens of Missouri school districts over COVID-19 mask mandates. 

Hartzler, who voted against certifying the 2020 election in the House, campaigned on an anti-abortion conservative platform, highlighting her opposition to rising Chinese influence, Critical Race Theory and transgender athletes. Hartzler had the endorsement of Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley. Retiring Sen. Roy Blunt did not endorse a candidate in the race.

Schmitt awaits the winner of the Democratic party primary. Jonathan Dine ran unopposed as a Libertarian. Paul Venable ran unopposed as a Constitution party candidate. Former U.S. Attorney and January 6 Committee counsel John Wood is running as an independent candidate.