Missouri’s Republican leaders are rallying to support Eric Schmitt for U.S. Senate as Republicans hope to gain the edge in the divided upper chamber, deeming him a “strong” candidate who will ultimately “unify” the party.
Schmitt, the state’s attorney general, secured a victory in the primary race following former President Trump’s generic endorsement of “Eric” — an unexpected endorsement, as it was unclear if he was endorsing Eric Schmitt or former Gov. Eric Greitens. However, Trump’s move, which some referred to as “one of the greatest trolls of all time,” essentially cleared the way for unification in the hot and divisive primary, regardless of outcome.
As Breitbart News reported:
In the end, it was Schmitt who won the nomination—and for Trump’s purposes he can obviously claim victory because he can say this one was the “Eric” he meant all along. But more importantly Trump’s move can help unite the party against the Democrats, as he took the temperature down significantly inside the party and focused the energy of all sides where they need it to be: on the Democrats and November.
Since then, Republicans have rallied to offer their support of Schmitt as he sets to face off against his Democrat opponent, Anheuser-Busch heiress Trudy Busch Valentine.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine speaks at an election-night gathering at Sheet Metal Workers Hall on August 02, 2022, in St Louis, Missouri. Busch Valentine won the Democratic primary to replace Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, who decided not to run for a third term. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), for instance, said that he believes Schmitt will help “unify” the Republican Party moving forward.
“Eric Schmitt is a strong candidate,” Hawley said. “He’s going to unify our party, he’s going to reach out to independent voters, and he’s going to win this thing.”
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) also expressed confidence that Schmitt will “do a great job advocating for hardworking families in our state and the issues they care most about.”
“I’m proud to endorse Eric Schmitt for U.S. Senate,” he said. “The D.C. Democrats who control Washington have sunk our economy into a recession and left Americans struggling with higher costs and more uncertainty about the future.”
The endorsements continued, as Gov. Mike Parson (R) referred to Schmitt as a “conservative leader who has always defended the rule of law against those who would seek to harm our most vulnerable.”
“As Missouri’s Attorney General, he has fought violent crime and held criminals accountable. Missouri needs a senator who will stand up to Biden and the radical left and defend Missouri values. Eric has what it takes to fight for our American way of life, and I am proud to endorse Eric Schmitt for U.S. Senate,” he said.
Missouri Republican Party Chairman Nick Myers echoed Hawley’s sentiments, focusing on party unification.
“Missouri Republicans are unified in our goal to defeat both the state and D.C., big government Democrats,” Myers said. “The Missouri Republican Party is proud that our elected members are setting the example of true unity which will usher in a red wave in November. Eric Schmitt understands the values Missourians hold dear and will make our state proud as our U.S. Senator.”
Schmitt also earned endorsements from former lawmakers, including former Missouri Sens. Kit Bond, John Ashcroft, and Jim Talent.
“Eric Schmitt continues his fight to uphold our Constitution and support the rule of law,” Ashcroft said. “He demonstrates this through his work, that he understands the rights that God granted to us must be protected, and that our government is our shared duty to protect those rights. Eric Schmitt will serve Missourians well in the U.S. Senate. He has my enthusiastic wholehearted support keeping this Senate seat in conservative hands.”
Bond predicted that Schmitt will stand as a “strong and consistent voice for the people of Missouri,” and Talent described Schmitt as a “man of character with the highest integrity and a deep faith in God.”
In turn, Schmitt has promised to “fight for America’s working-class families” in the Senate.
“Missouri’s Republican Party is united, and this fall, we will ensure a strong conservative majority goes to D.C. to fight inflation, curb energy prices, and defend our freedoms,” he said.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.