The 2024 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of Missouri, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Parson was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a second full term in office due to having served more than two years of predecessor Eric Greitens's unexpired term following his resignation in June 2018. The Republican nominee, incumbent lieutenant governor Mike Kehoe, defeated the Democratic nominee, minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives Crystal Quade, to succeed Parson.

Primary elections took place on August 6, 2024. Mike Kehoe, the incumbent lieutenant governor, won the Republican nomination, while Crystal Quade, the Minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives, won the Democratic nomination. Kehoe defeated Quade in the general election with 59.1 percent of the vote.

A former bellwether state, Missouri has politically trended rightward in recent years and is today a Republican stronghold at both the federal and state levels. The last Democrat to hold the office of governor in Missouri was Jay Nixon, who comfortably won re-election in 2012. In 2020, Parson won by 16.41%, the first time a Republican gubernatorial candidate won by a double-digit margin since John Ashcroft's landslide re-election in 1988. Major news organizations predicted that the state would elect another Republican governor in 2024. Kehoe’s 20.4 point margin of victory is the largest for a Republican in an open-seat Missouri gubernatorial election since Reconstruction.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Mike Kehoe, Lieutenant Governor of Missouri (2018–2025)

Eliminated in primary Jay Ashcroft, Missouri Secretary of State (2017–2025) and son of former governor John Ashcroft Bill Eigel, state senator from the 23rd district (2017-2025) Darren Grant Jeremy Gundel, write-in candidate for lieutenant governor in 2020 Darrell McClanahan, stay-at-home parent, honorary KKK member, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022 Robert Olson, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022 Amber Thomsen Chris Wright, businessman and former police officer

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JayAshcroft BillEigel MikeKehoe Other UndecidedBattleground Connect (R)July 30–31, 2024896 (LV)± 3.1%26%17%26%16%15%Remington Research Group (R)July 22–24, 2024864 (LV)± 3.3%29%18%29%9%15%co/efficient (R)July 21–22, 2024981 (LV)± 3.92%18%18%22%9%33%ARW Strategies (R)June 27–30, 2024600 (LV)± 4.0%19%19%24%–38%Remington Research Group (R)June 19–20, 2024701 (LV)± 3.6%31%9%29%–31%Emerson CollegeJune 17–19, 20241,000 (RV)± 3.0%23%6%20%5%46%American Viewpoint (R)June 2–4, 2024800 (LV)± 3.5%27%16%27%–30%Peak Insights (R)May 15–18, 2024400 (LV)± 5.0%22%14%20%–42%American Viewpoint (R)May 13–15, 2024600 (LV)–33%12%23%–32%Tyson Group (R)April 23–26, 2024504 (LV)± 4.3%36%3%11%9%40%YouGov/Saint Louis UniversityFebruary 14–26, 2024414 (LV)± 5.5%28%8%10%4%49%Remington Research Group (R)February 14–15, 2024706 (LV)± 3.6%35%5%22%–38%ARW Strategies (R)February 5–7, 2024611 (V)± 4.0%36%13%13%–38%Remington Research Group (R)January 18–19, 2024806 (LV)± 3.3%34%4%20%–42%Show Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (LV)± 4.9%18%6%19%–49%Remington Research Group (R)September 27–28, 2023714 (LV)± 3.4%32%5%15%–48%Remington Research Group (R)July 5–7, 2023706 (LV)± 3.4%34%4%14%–38%Remington Research Group (R)April 11–12, 2023778 (LV)± 3.4%29%4%13%–54%Remington Research Group (R)February 8–9, 2023820 (LV)± 3.2%28%4%9%–59%Remington Research Group (R)November 15–16, 2022940 (LV)± 3.0%44%4%10%–42%Public Opinion Strategies (R)March 8–10, 2022500 (LV)± 4.4%54%–19%8%19%

Debates Dates Location Ashcroft Eigel Kehoe LinkJuly 25, 2024St. LouisParticipantParticipantAbsent YouTube

Results

Kehoe secured a modest victory, carrying 88 counties, as well as the city of St. Louis. He performed the best in Shelby County, while Eigel, the runner-up, earned his best result in Grundy County. Finally, Ashcroft narrowly surpassed Kehoe in Greene County.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Crystal Quade, Minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives (2019–2025) from the 132nd district (2017–2025)

Eliminated in primary Sheryl Gladney, customer service agent Mike Hamra, restaurant conglomerate owner Hollis Laster Eric Morrison, pastor and candidate for governor in 2016 and 2020

Disqualified Sarah Unsicker, state representative from the 83rd district

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherylGladney MikeHamra CrystalQuade Other UndecidedRemington Research Group (R)July 10–11, 2024600 (LV)± 3.8%4%23%21%9%43%YouGov/Saint Louis UniversityFebruary 14–26, 2024396 (LV)± 5.6%4%5%21%4%66%Show Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%–2%39%–58%Remington Research Group (R)July 12–13, 2023661 (LV)± 3.9%–7%29%–64%

Results

Quade led the race, winning slightly more than half of the votes, as well as 90 county equivalents out of 115. She performed the best in Greene County, where the city of Springfield is located. Conversely, Hamra recorded his best result in Harrison County, with some more than 50% of the vote. Morrison failed to win a single county, but still managed to tie Pemiscot County, earning as many votes there as Hamra did.

Third-party and independent candidates Declared Paul Lehman (Green), farmer and nominee for secretary of state in 2020 Bill Slantz (Libertarian), former chair of the Missouri Libertarian Party, perennial candidate, and nominee for governor in 2020

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportJune 13, 2024 Inside ElectionsJuly 14, 2023 Sabato's Crystal BallJune 4, 2024 RCPJuly 13, 2024 Elections DailyJuly 12, 2023 CNalysisAugust 17, 2024

Post-primary endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MikeKehoe (R) CrystalQuade (D) Other UndecidedResearch Co.November 2–3, 2024450 (LV)± 4.6%52%38%3%7%Remington Research Group (R)October 28–29, 2024721 (LV)–51%40%1%8%ActiVoteOctober 11–27, 2024400 (LV)± 4.9%58%42%––Remington Research Group (R)October 2–3, 2024753 (LV)± 3.2%51%41%1%7%ActiVoteSeptember 3 – October 1, 2024400 (LV)± 4.9%60%40%––Emerson CollegeSeptember 12–13, 2024850 (LV)± 3.3%52%36%1%11%Remington Research Group (R)September 4–5, 2024940 (LV)–52%34%–14%YouGov/Saint Louis UniversityAugust 8–16, 2024900 (LV)± 3.8%51%41%3%6%Show Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%38%33%–29%

Jay Ashcroft vs. Crystal Quade Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JayAshcroft (R) CrystalQuade (D) Other UndecidedRemington Research Group (R)March 6–8, 2024713 (LV)± 3.9%53%36%–11%Show Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%39%34%–27% Bill Eigel vs. Crystal Quade Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BillEigel (R) CrystalQuade (D) Other UndecidedShow Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%33%34%–33% Mike Kehoe vs. Mike Hamra Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MikeKehoe (R) MikeHamra (D) Other UndecidedShow Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%37%27%–36% Jay Ashcroft vs. Mike Hamra Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JayAshcroft (R) MikeHamra (D) Other UndecidedShow Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%39%29%–32% Bill Eigel vs. Mike Hamra Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BillEigel (R) MikeHamra (D) Other UndecidedShow Me Victories (D)October 26–31, 2023407 (RV)± 4.9%33%30%–37%

Debate + 2024 Missouri gubernatorial election debate Date Host Moderator Link Republican Democratic Libertarian GreenKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Kehoe Quade Slantz Lehmann1 Sep. 20, 2024 Missouri Press Association David Lieb YouTube

Results

By county