The Story:
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tx) has offered his take on the Senate race in Missouri, where an incumbent, Roy Blunt (R), is retiring. The Democrats see this as a winnable seat, though they as yet have no front-runner of their own. One of the reasons they think it is winnable is the greater disarray in Republican ranks, where the apparent front-runner is the man who had to resign the office of Governor in 2018 amidst a sex-and-blackmail scandal. But Cruz’s endorsement has given fuel to the campaign of what is likely the party’s strongest alternative to former Gov. Greitens, Missouri Attorney-General Carl Schmitt.
The Endorsement:
In a statement, Cruz praised Schmitt as a “fighter who will hold China accountable, defend religious freedom, take on Big Tech, and … protect American jobs.”
Former President Trump has not yet endorsed anyone in the Missouri race.
The Thing to Know:Â Â
Both major parties hold their Missouri primaries on August 2, 2022. Missouri has an open primary system: that is, a voter does not have to be a Republican to participate in the Republican primaries. Missouri does not have early voting, but it does have absentee voting. The mail-request deadline for an absentee ballot in this primary is July 20.
