2016 Missouri gubernatorial election

The 2016 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the Governor of Missouri, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

The primaries were held on August 2. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jay Nixon was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. State Attorney General Chris Koster and businessman, author and former U.S. Navy SEAL Eric Greitens won the Democratic and Republican primaries, respectively. On election day, November 8, 2016, the Associated Press declared Greitens the winner of the election, and Koster conceded shortly after.

Declared

 * Chris Koster, Attorney General of Missouri
 * Eric Morrison, pastor, community leader
 * Leonard Steinman, perennial candidate
 * Charles Wheeler, former mayor of Kansas City and former state senator

Declined

 * Claire McCaskill, U.S. Senator, former state auditor of Missouri and nominee for governor in 2004
 * Clint Zweifel, State Treasurer of Missouri
 * Joe Maxwell, former lieutenant governor of Missouri

Results
[[File:2016 Missouri gubernatorial Democratic primary election results map by county.svg|thumb|Results by county: {{legend|#7996e2ff|Koster}}

{{legend|#7996E2|50–60%}}

{{legend|#6674deff|60–70%}}

{{legend|#584cdeff|70–80%}}

{{legend|#1e1dbeff|80–90%}} ]]

Declared

 * John Brunner, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
 * Eric Greitens, businessman, author and former U.S. Navy SEAL
 * Catherine Hanaway, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri
 * Peter Kinder, Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Former

 * Tom Schweich, State Auditor of Missouri (died February 26, 2015)

Withdrew

 * Randy Asbury, former state representative
 * Bob Dixon, state senator
 * Mike Parson, state senator (running for Lieutenant Governor)

Declined

 * Tim Jones, Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
 * Bart Korman, state representative
 * Blaine Luetkemeyer, U.S. Representative
 * Ron Richard, state senator and former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
 * Dave Spence, businessman and nominee for governor in 2012
 * Jim Talent, former U.S. Senator

Results
[[File:2016 Missouri gubernatorial Republican primary election results map by county.svg|thumb|Results by county: {{legend|#e27f7f|Greitens}}

{{legend|#ffc8cd|30–40%}}

{{legend|#ffb2b2|40–50%}}

{{legend|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend|#ff9955|Brunner}}

{{legend|#ffdac1|20–30%}}

{{legend|#ffcca9|30–40%}}

{{legend|#ffb380|40–50%}} {{legend|#5fd3bc|Kinder}}

{{legend|#afe9dd|30–40%}}

{{legend|#87decd|40–50%}}

{{legend|#5fd3bc|50–60%}} ]]

Declared

 * Don Fitz

Declared

 * Les Turilli, Jr., businessman

Declared

 * Cisse W. Spragins, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and nominee for Missouri Secretary of State in 2012

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, September 30, 2016 - C-SPAN

Polling

 * Aggregate polls


 * with John Brunner


 * with Catherine Hanaway


 * with Peter Kinder


 * with Bob Dixon


 * with Bart Korman


 * with Tom Schweich


 * with Randy Asbury


 * with Claire McCaskill

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Adair (largest city: Kirksville)
 * Audrain (Largest city: Mexico)
 * Bates (Largest city: Butler)
 * Buchanan (Largest city: St. Joseph)
 * Chariton (Largest city: Salisbury)
 * Clark (Largest city: Kahoka)
 * Clay (Largest city: Liberty)
 * Clinton (Largest city: Cameron)
 * Dunklin (Largest city: Kennett)
 * Franklin (Largest city: Washington)
 * Greene (largest city: Springfield)
 * Henry (Largest city: Clinton)
 * Hickory (Largest city: Hermitage)
 * Howard (Largest city: Fayette)
 * Iron (Largest city: Ironton)
 * Jefferson (Largest city: Arnold)
 * Johnson (largest city: Warrensburg)
 * Knox (Largest city: Edina)
 * Lafayette (Largest city: Odessa)
 * Lewis (Largest city: Canton)
 * Linn (Largest city: Brookfield)
 * Madison (Largest city: Fredericktown)
 * Mississippi (Largest city: Charleston)
 * Monroe (Largest city: Monroe City)
 * New Madrid (Largest city: New Madrid)
 * Nodaway (Largest city: Maryville)
 * Pemiscot (Largest city: Caruthersville)
 * Pettis (largest city: Sedalia)
 * Pike (Largest city: Bowling Green)
 * Platte (largest city: Kansas City)
 * Ray (Largest city: Richmond)
 * Reynolds (Largest city: Ellington)
 * Saline (Largest city: Marshall)
 * Scott (Largest city: Sikeston)
 * Shannon (Largest city: Winona)
 * St. Charles (largest city: O'Fallon)
 * St. Francois (Largest city: Farmington)
 * Ste. Genevieve (largest city: Ste. Genevieve)
 * Washington (Largest city: Potosi)
 * Wayne (Largest city: Piedmont)

Campaign finance investigations
On April 28, 2017, the Missouri Ethics Commission fined Greitens' campaign $1,000 for violating state campaign ethics rules regarding campaign disclosure. Greitens did not contest the fine.

In 2018, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley announced the opening of an investigation of Greitens' 2016 campaign financing.

On June 1, 2018, Eric Greitens resigned from office, leaving Mike Parson, his lieutenant governor, to succeed him.