2016 Missouri gubernatorial election
The 2016 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the governor of Missouri, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as [United States Senate United States Senate elections, 2016|elections, 2016|elections] to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
The primaries were held on August 2. Incumbent Democratic governor Jay Nixon was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. State Attorney General Chris Koster and businessman, author and former U.S. Navy SEAL Eric Greitens won the Democratic and Republican primaries, respectively. On election day, November 8, 2016, the Associated Press declared Greitens the winner of the election, and Koster conceded shortly after. This was the first gubernatorial election since 1968 that the winner was from a different party as the presidential candidate who won the popular vote in the concurrent election, and the first since 1940 that a Republican accomplished the feat.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- Eric Morrison, pastor, community leader
- Leonard Steinman, perennial candidate
- Charles Wheeler, former mayor of Kansas City and former state senator
Declined
- Joe Maxwell, former lieutenant governor of Missouri
- Claire McCaskill, U.S. senator, former state auditor of Missouri and nominee for governor in 2004
- Clint Zweifel, State Treasurer of Missouri
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Eric Greitens, businessman, author and former U.S. Navy SEAL
Eliminated in primary
- John Brunner, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
- Catherine Hanaway, Missouri Attorney General appointee, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives, and former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri
- Peter Kinder, lieutenant governor of Missouri
Deceased
Withdrew
- Randy Asbury, former state representative
- Bob Dixon, state senator
- Mike Parson, state senator
Declined
- Tim Jones, Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
- Bart Korman, state representative
- Blaine Luetkemeyer, U.S. representative
- Ron Richard, state senator and former speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
- Dave Spence, businessman and nominee for governor in 2012
- Jim Talent, former U.S. senator
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Brunner | Catherine Hanaway | Peter Kinder | Tom Schweich | Dave Spence | Other | Undecided |
| Remington Research Group | February 2–3, 2015 | 747 | 3.6% | 10% | 13% | — | 16% | — | — | 62% |
| Remington Research Group | February 2–3, 2015 | 747 | 3.6% | — | 12% | 24% | 15% | — | — | 48% |
| Remington Research Group | February 2–3, 2015 | 747 | 3.6% | — | 16% | — | 19% | — | 18% | 47% |
| Remington Research Group | January 2015 | 1,355 | ? | — | 44% | — | 56% | — | — | — |
| Remington Research Group | January 2015 | 1,355 | ? | — | 39% | — | 37% | 25% | — | — |
Third party and independent candidates
Green Party
Candidates
Declared
- Don Fitz
Independent
Candidates
Declared
- Les Turilli Jr., businessman
Libertarian Party
Candidates
Declared
- Cisse W. Spragins, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and nominee for Missouri Secretary of State in 2012
General election
Debates
- , September 30, 2016 - C-SPAN
Polling
Aggregate polls| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Chris Koster | Eric Greitens | Other/Undecided | Margin |
| Real Clear Politics | October 28 – November 1, 2016 | November 1, 2016 | 45.5% | 46.0% | 8.5% | Greitens +0.5% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Eric Greitens | Other | Undecided |
| SurveyMonkey | November 1–7, 2016 | 1,368 | ± 4.6% | 48% | 47% | — | 5% |
| SurveyMonkey | October 31–Nov 6, 2016 | 1,119 | ± 4.6% | 49% | 46% | — | 5% |
| SurveyMonkey | October 28–Nov 3, 2016 | 879 | ± 4.6% | 49% | 47% | — | 4% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 1–2, 2016 | 871 | ± 3.4% | 47% | 44% | 4% | 6% |
| SurveyMonkey | October 27 – November 2, 2016 | 774 | ± 4.6% | 50% | 47% | — | 3% |
| The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group | October 31 – November 1, 2016 | 1,722 | ± 2.4% | 45% | 46% | 4% | 4% |
| DFM Research | October 27 – November 1, 2016 | 508 | ± 4.4% | 45% | 39% | 10% | 6% |
| SurveyMonkey | October 26 – November 1, 2016 | 649 | ± 4.6% | 52% | 46% | — | 2% |
| Monmouth University | October 28–31, 2016 | 405 | ± 4.9% | 46% | 46% | 2% | 5% |
| SurveyMonkey | October 25–31, 2016 | 671 | ± 4.6% | 54% | 44% | — | 2% |
| Missouri Scout/BK Strategies | October 27–28, 2016 | 1,698 | ± 2.4% | 46% | 45% | — | 9% |
| St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mason-Dixon | October 24–26, 2016 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 46% | 45% | — | 9% |
| The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group | October 23–25, 2016 | 2,559 | ± 1.9% | 47% | 45% | 4% | 4% |
| The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group | October 9–11, 2016 | 2,171 | ± 2.1% | 48% | 42% | 5% | 5% |
| Monmouth University | October 9–11, 2016 | 406 | ± 4.9% | 46% | 43% | 2% | 8% |
| The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group | October 4–5, 2016 | 1,588 | ± 2.6% | 44% | 41% | 5% | 10% |
| The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group | September 26–27, 2016 | 1,279 | ± 3.0% | 51% | 35% | 5% | 10% |
| The Tarrance Group | September 19–22, 2016 | 606 | ± 4.1% | 45% | 42% | — | 13% |
| The Missouri Times/Remington Research Group | September 19–20, 2016 | 1,076 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 37% | 4% | 13% |
| The Missouri Times/Gravis Marketing | September 11–13, 2016 | 604 | ± 4.0% | 49% | 41% | — | 8% |
| The Missouri Times/Gravis Marketing | September 4–6, 2016 | 589 | ± 4.0% | 47% | 41% | 3% | 9% |
| Missouri Scout/Remington Research Group | September 1–2, 2016 | 1,275 | ± 3.0% | 46% | 42% | — | 12% |
| Monmouth University | August 19–22, 2016 | 401 | ± 4.9% | 51% | 40% | 3% | 6% |
| Remington Research Group | August 5–6, 2016 | 1,280 | ± 3.0% | 45% | 43% | — | 7% |
| St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mason-Dixon | July 23–24, 2016 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 52% | 33% | — | 15% |
| DFM Research | March 17–24, 2016 | 674 | ± 3.8% | 41% | 24% | 3% | 31% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 22–23, 2015 | 731 | ± 3.6% | 37% | 44% | — | 20% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 40% | 34% | — | 26% |
with John Brunner
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | John Brunner | Other | Undecided |
| St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mason-Dixon | July 23–24, 2016 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 46% | 40% | — | 14% |
| DFM Research | March 17–24, 2016 | 674 | ± 3.8% | 42% | 28% | 2% | 28% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 41% | 36% | — | 23% |
with Catherine Hanaway
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Catherine Hanaway | Other | Undecided |
| St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mason-Dixon | July 23–24, 2016 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 52% | 36% | — | 12% |
| DFM Research | March 17–24, 2016 | 674 | ± 3.8% | 43% | 31% | 3% | 23% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 40% | 36% | — | 23% |
| Gravius Public Polling | January 7–8, 2015 | ? | ± 6% | 29% | 23% | — | 48% |
| Wilson Perkins Allen | January 15–19, 2014 | 700 | ± 3.7% | 33% | 35% | — | 32% |
with Peter Kinder
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Peter Kinder | Other | Undecided |
| St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mason-Dixon | July 23–24, 2016 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 47% | 46% | — | 7% |
| DFM Research | March 17–24, 2016 | 674 | ± 3.8% | 39% | 37% | 2% | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 37% | 40% | — | 24% |
with Bob Dixon
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Bob Dixon | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 39% | 35% | — | 26% |
with Bart Korman
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Bart Korman | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 39% | 31% | — | 30% |
with Tom Schweich
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Tom Schweich | Other | Undecided |
| Gravius Public Polling | January 7–8, 2015 | ? | ± 6% | 30% | 26% | — | 44% |
with Randy Asbury
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chris Koster | Randy Asbury | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 7–9, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 40% | 35% | — | 25% |
with Claire McCaskill
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Claire McCaskill | Catherine Hanaway | Other | Undecided |
| Gravius Public Polling | January 7–8, 2015 | ? | ± 6% | 19% | 30% | — | 51% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Claire McCaskill | Tom Schweich | Other | Undecided |
| Gravius Public Polling | January 7–8, 2015 | ? | ± 6% | 20% | 34% | — | 46% |
Results
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Adair
- Audrain
- Bates
- Buchanan
- Chariton
- Clark
- Clay
- Clinton
- Dunklin
- Franklin
- Greene
- Henry
- Hickory
- Howard
- Iron
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Knox
- Lafayette
- Lewis
- Linn
- Madison
- Mississippi
- Monroe
- New Madrid
- Nodaway
- Pemiscot
- Pettis
- Pike
- Platte
- Ray
- Reynolds
- Saline
- Scott
- Shannon
- St. Charles
- St. Francois
- Ste. Genevieve
- Washington
- Wayne
By congressional district
Greitens won six of eight congressional districts.| District | Koster | Greitens | Representative |
| 78% | 19% | Lacy Clay | |
| 47% | 51% | Ann Wagner | |
| 40% | 57% | Blaine Luetkemeyer | |
| 39% | 57% | Vicky Hartzler | |
| 60% | 37% | Emanuel Cleaver | |
| 40% | 57% | Sam Graves | |
| 32% | 65% | Billy Long | |
| 32% | 65% | Jason Smith |
Campaign finance investigations
On April 28, 2017, the Missouri Ethics Commission fined Greitens' campaign $1,000 for violating state campaign ethics rules regarding campaign disclosure. Greitens did not contest the fine.In 2018, Missouri attorney general Josh Hawley announced the opening of an investigation of Greitens' 2016 campaign financing.
On June 1, 2018, Greitens resigned from office, leaving Mike Parson, his lieutenant governor, to succeed him.