NATIONAL ELECTION RETURNS : State-by-State Election Reports of Key Races and Issues : Missouri
Missouri’s Gov. John Ashcroft and Sen. John Danforth rolled over their Democratic rivals to easily win reelection, while George Bush edged Democrat Michael S. Dukakis in this traditionally Democratic state, adding Missouri’s 11 electoral votes to his margin of victory.
With 42% of the votes counted, Danforth won a third term with 314,129 votes or 64% and state Sen. Jay Nixon had 175,756 votes or 36%.
In the governor’s race, with 42% of the votes counted, Ashcroft had 293,857 votes or 60% and Betty Hearnes, wife of a former governor, had 194,051 or 40%.
Democrats who held five of nine U.S. House seats--including one-time presidential candidate Richard Gephardt--easily won reelection.
Republican Rep. Bill Emerson was leading in a rematch with Democratic farm activist Wayne Cryts in southeast Missouri’s 8th District.
Missourians also were asked to decide the fate of the so-called MedAssist proposal, a $296-million tax increase to finance a statewide health insurance plan.
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