Missouri GOP governor's primary is jump ball: Poll

The Republican gubernatorial primary in Missouri is an open contest with a plurality of voters undecided on who they want to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike Parson (R), according to a new poll. 

The survey from Emerson College Polling/The Hill released Friday showed Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft narrowly in the lead with 23 percent support, followed closely by Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe with 20 percent. State Sen. Bill Eigel was in third with 6 percent, while 46 percent said they were undecided. 

The GOP primary is crowded to succeed Parson, who has served as governor of the state since 2018, when he succeeded former Gov. Eric Greitens following his resignation amid scandal. Parson, who cannot run for another term because he served more than half of Greitens’ unexpired term, appointed Kehoe lieutenant governor after becoming governor. 

Ashcroft is the son of former Gov. John Ashcroft, who also served as attorney general during President George W. Bush’s administration. 

Most polling taken of the race so far has shown Ashcroft in the lead but with many voters who are undecided. 

Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a release that Ashcroft performs best with voters in their 30s, 40s and 50s, with 31 percent supporting him to only 15 percent for Kehoe. But Kehoe has the advantage with the oldest voters, having 26 percent support from those over 60 to Ashcroft’s 18 percent. 

Whoever wins the Republican nomination will be the strong favorite to be elected the next governor in the solidly conservative state. 

The poll was conducted among 1,000 registered voters, including 489 likely Republican primary voters, from June 17 to 19. The credibility interval for the overall sample was 3.3 points, while the interval for the sample of Republican primary voters was 4.4 points.