In the Missouri Senate Republican primary on Tuesday night, scandal-scarred candidate Eric Greitens was defeated by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
After months of GOP strategists pressing former president Trump not to endorse Greitens, he finally declared his support for "Eric," which was effectively a dual endorsement for Greitens and Schmitt. Greitens claimed the endorsement for himself just hours prior to the election.
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The pseudo endorsement by Trump did not resurrect Greitens' campaign, which ended in a resounding third-place loss Tuesday.
Politico reports that megadonor Rex Sinquefield and GOP strategist Johnny DeStefano launched an anti-Greitens super PAC as top Republicans repeatedly pressed Donald Trump not to endorse the former Missouri governor over fears they would lose control over the Senate seat. The super PAC aired withering ads against Greitens starting in late June as part of a year-long, behind-the-scenes effort to sink his campaign.
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In a scathing editorial published after Greitens loss, the Kansas City Star recapped why the Trump-loving former Missouri governor deserved to be run out of politics altogether.
"Greitens came in third — abject humiliation for a candidate with such huge name recognition," the editors wrote. "He never should have wasted primary voters’ time, or his donors’ money, in the first place... He was accused of campaign finance violations… His former hairdresser credibly alleged he tied her up in his basement and forced himself on her sexually. And since his resignation, his ex-wife has testified under oath that he physically assaulted her and their children."
In November, Schmitt will be opposed by Trudy Busch Valentine, who defeated Marine veteran Lucas Kunce and nine others in the Missouri Democratic primary. Both also face a challenge from a well-funded independent, John Wood.
The political future for Greitens is unclear. He told a small crowd in a St. Louis suburb to “go home with strength and pride."
"God has a plan," he said. "It doesn’t always work on our timeline, but it does work on his. Sometimes we have to practice patience.”
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