2016 Missouri Attorney General election


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 [United States Senate United States House of Representatives elections, 2016|elections, 2016|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.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Declined

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

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.

General election

Results

By congressional district

Hawley won six of eight congressional districts.
DistrictHensleyHawleyRepresentative
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