Missouri Governor’s Resignation Should Make Claire McCaskill Very Nervous

Missouri is currently a very complicated place.

On one hand, you have its vulnerable Democratic Senator, Claire McCaskill, struggling to maintain a lead over her (likely) Republican opponent, Josh Hawley (the candidate RedState endorsed earlier this month).

On the other hand, Eric Greitens, the Republican governor, has been so embroiled in scandal that Republicans in the state legislature were working to impeach him. However, he was refusing to step down, a move that worried many Republicans and more than likely delighted McCaskill.

Then, yesterday, Greitens resigned.

After months of controversy emanating both from an extra-marital affair he acknowledged but disputed allegations that he had photographed the woman in a state of undress and threatened to publish it should she reveal their affair and from allegations surrounding improper use of a donor list as part of his campaign, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has just held a press conference announcing that he is resigning.

Now McCaskill, whose lead according to the polling averages was close to, if not within, the margin of error, should be in full-blown panic mode. Greitens is now out of the picture, and Hawley can continue without the soon-to-be-former governor weighing the GOP ticket down.

The polling average is 1.7 in McCaskill’s favor, and there is a lot of time between now and the general election. I could mention that Hawley has some GOP opposition in the primary, but they are polling so low that none of the polling even seems to include them anymore. This is good for Hawley, who has the chance to solidify the party support early – a strategy he has embraced by going all-in against McCaskill and not wasting resources attacking other GOP candidates.

As I said in early May, Hawley is the conservative choice, and he is the guy Missouri should elect. For conservatives worried about a potential Blue Wave in 2018, McCaskill’s seat is an opportunity to mitigate some of the damage.

McCaskill doesn’t represent her people. She represents the Democratic Party, which has lost a lot of ground in Missouri. It’s time for her to go, and now that Greitens is gone, the state can do it… and she knows it, too.

The post Missouri Governor’s Resignation Should Make Claire McCaskill Very Nervous appeared first on RedState.