ST. LOUIS—Missouri voters on Tuesday will decide primary contests to set the stage for November’s general election.

There are six races for statewide offices on the ballot: U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, state treasurer, secretary of state and attorney general, along with state house and the state senate contests.

Of the four congressional races on the ballot in the St. Louis region, two feature competitive primaries, with one of those turning into one of the most expensive congressional races ever. 

There are also two statewide ballot questions and a host of other local municipal measures to be decided. Here’s a look at the biggest races.

U.S. Senate

Incumbent Republican Sen. Josh Hawley is running unopposed in his first bid for re-election. The two leading Democrats are Lucas Kunce, a former Marine and a 2022 candidate for the U.S. Senate, and State Sen. Karla May.

Libertarian W.C. Young is running unopposed.

Governor

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and State Sen. Bill Eigel have separated themselves from the field of nine total candidates. The three have all been endorsed by former President Donald Trump

The winner will face the winner of a five-way contest for Democrats that has boiled down to a two person race between State Rep. Crystal Quade and Springfield businessman Mike Hamra

Lt. Governor

A six-person GOP field includes State Sens. Holly Rehder and Lincoln Hough, 2018 State Auditor candidate Dave Wasinger, Franklin County Clerk Tim Baker, businessman Matthew Porter, former congressional and St. Louis County Executive Candidate Paul Berry III.

The Democratic field includes Assistant Minority Floor Leader Richard Brown, of Kansas City, and Anastasia Syes, of St. Louis.

Libertarian Ken Iverson is running unopposed

Secretary of State

A total of eight Republicans are running for Secretary of State in a field that combines a mixture of experience and newcomers running for public office for the first time. Shane Schoeller, currently serving as Greene County Clerk and the party’s nominee for the post in 2012 is on the ballot, as is House Speaker Dean Plocher, of Des Peres. State Sens. Denny Hoskins and Mary Elizabeth Coleman are also looking to succeed Jay Ashcroft, as are State Rep. Adam Schwardron, former congressional staffer Jamie Corley, Wentzville municipal judge Mike Carter, a former candidate for Lt. Governor, and Valentina Gomez, of St. Louis.

Kirkwood area State Rep. Barbara Phifer is the most well-known Democrat seeking the post, along with Monique Wiliams and Haley Jacobsen, both of St. Louis. 

Libertarian Carl Reese is running unopposed.

Attorney General

The Republican primary is another race where former President Trump has weighed in, endorsing both the incumbent, Andrew Bailey, who is running to retain the office after his appointment in 2022, and Trump’s own personal attorney, Will Scharf. 

The winner will face Democrat Elad Gross and Libertarian Ryan Munro, both of St. Louis, who are running unopposed.

State Treasurer

In another race featuring an appointed incumbent, Vivek Malek is looking to retain the job in his own right, against the rest of the Republican field that includes State Sen. Andrew Koenig, State Rep. Cody Smith, Springfield Attorney Lori Rook, Karan Pujji of St. Louis County and Tina Goodrick, of St. Joseph.

The winner will face Mark Osmack, a Manchester Democrat who previously ran for Congress and Libertarian John Hartwig, of Clayton, who are running unopposed.

Ballot questions

Statewide, voters will decide two constitutional amendments. One would exempt childcare providers outside a child’s home from paying property taxes. The other would ask voters to approve an increase to minimum funding levels for a police department established by a state board. This would only impact the Kansas City Police Department, as it’s the only one controlled by a state board.

At the municipal level, voters who live in the Monarch Fire Protection District will decide whether to increase a general tax levy by up to .19 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation in order to add to its ambulance fleet and improve response times. Jennings school district voters meanwhile will decide whether to borrow up to $9 million dollars for safety improvements. The vote would not change the district’s debt service levy.

Congress

Missouri’s first congressional district primary race, as of late Friday, has become the second most expensive congressional primary on record, per AdImpact, a tracking firm.

After easily dispatching State Sen. Steve Roberts in her first primary re-election campaign in 2022, Rep. Cori Bush is in the fight for her political life in 2024, facing St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, and former State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal. Bell’s campaign has been boosted by political action committees funded by pro-Israel interests in the wake of Bush’s criticism of Israeli policy on Gaza and U.S. military support for Israel. All three Democrats are veterans of elements of the Ferguson protest movement that erupted following Michael Brown’s death in 2014. While Bush has the endorsement of House Democratic leadership, Bell and Chappelle Nadal have both made the argument that they would be more reliable caucus members than Bush. 

The winner of the Democratic primary will face the winner of a five-way GOP primary that includes Andrew Jones, the party’s 2022 nominee for the post.

Libertarian Rochelle Riggins, of St. Louis is running unopposed.

The other congressional primary that has turned up considerable interest is the race for Missouri’s third district, which extends from the Boonville area in central Missouri to St. Charles and Jefferson Counties in the St. Louis region. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, who has served since 2009, is retiring. 

A seven-candidate field has essentially become a two-man race between former State Sen. Bob Onder, who ran against and lost to Luetkemeyer in 2008, and Kurt Schaefer, a former State Senator from Boone County who lost in the primary for Attorney General in 2016. Onder has the endorsement of former President Trump and Missouri Right to Life, while Schaefer has the backing of agricultural interests, like the Farm Bureau, as well as Luetkemeyer’s endorsement.

The winner of the race will face the winner of the Democratic primary, Bethany Mann, who previously ran in 2022, or Andrew Daly. 

Libertarian Jordan Rowden is running unopposed.

State Senate  

The Democratic primary in the 13th State Senate district will decide the ultimate winner of the race, as there are no Republicans or Libertarians on the ballot. The incumbent, State Sen. Angela Walton Mosley, faces State Rep. Chantelle Nickson-Clark.

The Republican primary in the 15th State Senate district will set up one of the most-watched races in the chamber in November. Wildwood Mayor Jim Bowlin, St. Louis County Councilman Mark Harder and former State Rep. David Gregory are all running to succeed State Sen. Andrew Koenig, who is term-limited. 

The winner will face Democrat Joe Pereles, a retired Drury Hotel executive, and Libertarian Jeff Coleman, of Chesterfield.

A St. Charles County-based seat being vacated by the term-limited Bill Eigel in the 23rd district features State Reps. Adam Schnelting and Phil Christofanelli, along with former State Rep. and County election director Rich Chrismer, and Dan O’Connell. The winner will face Democrat Matt Williams. 

In Jefferson County, the Republican primary for the third State Senate District to succeed the retiring Elaine Gannon features a pair of state representatives, Mike Henderson of Desloge, and Cyndi Buccheit-Courtway, with the winner to face Democrat Doug Halbert.