Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey emerged victorious in the Republican primary election on Tuesday, securing his position as the party’s candidate for the attorney general race in the upcoming November general election, according to The Associated Press.
Bailey, who was appointed by Governor Mike Parson in 2022, is now seeking a full four-year term. The role of Missouri Attorney General has historically served as a political springboard, as evidenced by his predecessors Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley, who have both ascended to the U.S. Senate.
During his tenure as the state’s attorney general, spanning 19 months, Bailey has immersed the office in several contentious legal and political disputes. His notable actions include attempting to keep exonerated prisoners incarcerated, withholding approval for a ballot initiative aimed at restoring abortion rights, and attempting to restrict gender-affirming healthcare for both adults and children. Additionally, Bailey attempted to sue New York State over its criminal prosecution of former President Donald J. Trump and launched legal challenges against President Biden’s policies on student loan forgiveness, immigration, gun regulation, and other issues.
Despite these efforts, much of Bailey’s primary campaign was spent competing with his opponent, Will Scharf, over who demonstrated greater loyalty to former President Trump. Scharf, one of Trump’s lawyers, had represented him before the Supreme Court in a presidential immunity case decided in Trump’s favor last month.
Bailey, who has been accused by Scharf of being lenient on crime, has consistently opposed efforts by prisoners to prove their innocence or to secure release once exonerated. This summer, he delayed the release of two exonerated prisoners, Sandra Hemme and Christopher Dunn, and attempted unsuccessfully to block a hearing on DNA evidence that indicated the innocence of a death row inmate, Marcellus Williams, who is slated for execution in September.
Bailey, 43, has deep roots in Missouri, having earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Missouri. Scharf, 38, originally from New York, graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School. A clerkship with a federal judge brought him to Missouri. Notably, neither Bailey nor Scharf had run for office prior to this primary election.
In the November general election, Bailey will face Elad Gross, a Democrat who ran unopposed in his party’s primary. Gross, a former assistant attorney general, has been vocal about his commitment to transparency and accountability in government, often highlighting his previous work in investigating corruption and advocating for public records access.
Bailey’s primary win underscores his alignment with the Republican base, particularly through his staunch support of Trump and conservative legal battles. However, the general election will test his broader appeal to Missouri’s electorate, which will decide between his hardline legal stance and Gross’s platform focused on transparency and reform.
The Missouri attorney general race will undoubtedly be closely watched, given the position’s significant influence on state and national legal landscapes. As Bailey transitions from the primary to the general election campaign, his strategies and policy priorities will come under increased scrutiny from both supporters and opponents. The outcome will not only determine the state’s legal direction but may also reflect broader political currents ahead of the 2024 national elections.
