The Story:
Eric Greitens was elected Governor of Missouri in 2016 and inaugurated the following January. He resigned in June 2018, in the midst of a lurid scandal involved accusations of sexual assault and blackmail. Though a related criminal charge was brought, it was dismissed. Now Greitens is staging a comeback into the Missouri limelight, seeking his party’s nomination for the US Senate seat now occupied by Roy Blunt (R), who is retiring.
Background:Â
Greitens, like Blunt, is for the most part a predictable conservative Republican in hs policy views. There are surprises, though, in his record. Among his last actions as Governor: he signed a bill allowing businesses in the state to grow and harvest hemp, and he signed onto expanded medicaid coverage for new mothers battling addiction.
The Thing to Know:
Greitens’ campaign for Senator will be well funded. He has the support of Richard Uihlein, who has donated $2.5 million to Greitens’ political action committee. Uihlein can afford it. With his wife Elizabeth he founded a shipping supplies company in 1980, and it is now one of the largest privately-held companies in the country. Bloomberg has estimated the couples’ net worth at around $4 billion.
