Eric Greitens hits McConnell and ‘RINOs’ during KC event as Senate primary race nears finish

Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens campaigned in Kansas City on Monday, hammering away at Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell as he seeks right-wing support in the Aug. 2 Republican Senate primary just four years after his governorship ended in scandal.

Greitens, who resigned in 2018 amid allegations of sexual assault and blackmail, spoke to more than a hundred people downtown at an event hosted by KCMO Talk Radio. It was his first appearance in the city since a special prosecutor on Friday declined to charge a former Kansas City Police Department captain over his role in a ride along Greitens had with police in April that he used to promote his campaign.

The event also marked one of Greitens’ first appearances since he answered questions under oath about allegations of child abuse in a closed-door deposition last week in Jefferson City as part of an ongoing child custody case. Sheena Greitens, his ex-wife and former Missouri first lady, has accused Greitens in an affidavit of physical and emotional abuse of her and their young children.

The Kansas City campaign stop came as one of his main Republican rivals, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, held an event in Lee’s Summit with Sen. Josh Hawley, who has endorsed her. Greitens’ other biggest rival, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, toured the state over the weekend with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Greitens ticked through a list of right-wing hot topics, from support for building a border wall to slamming President Joe Biden over rising inflation. But he spent much of his time —and reserved much of his fury— for Republicans he paints as insufficiently tough or loyal, who he calls “RINOS,” or Republicans in name only. Greitens launched a controversial ad last month that depicted him hunting RINOs with a shotgun.

McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, was a frequent target.

“Who was in charge of the Senate when President Trump was elected? Mitch McConnell. Did they fund the border wall? No,” Greitens said as the crowd booed McConnell.

Greitens has said he won’t vote for McConnell, from Kentucky, for Republican leader if elected. On Monday night, he said in response to an audience member’s question that he would support Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky’s other Republican senator, for the position.

The primary race has entered the final sprint before the Aug. 2 primary election. Polls have consistently shown a close contest between Greitens, Hartzler and Schmitt.

But some recent polling suggests support for Greitens may have softened a bit. A Trafalgar Group poll conducted over the weekend puts Schmitt at 26.5%, Hartzler at 24.4% and Greitens at 20.2% support among likely Republican primary voters. The margin of error is 2.9%.

The attacks on Greitens have been especially intense in recent weeks. His custody case has also received increased scrutiny, culminating in last week’s deposition, which was closed to the public. A transcript hasn’t been made public.

“I don’t think it’s smart to tie up a woman in your basement when your wife is five months pregnant and then try to say that you’re a conservative,” Hartzler said at an event this month in the Kansas City area, referring to past allegations against Greitens that he restrained a woman and blackmailed her.

Still, the attacks on Greitens have been fueled in large part by millions in non-campaign spending. Show Me Values PAC, created to attack Greitens, has allocated at least $7.4 million in television advertising, text messaging and direct mail to voters. The PAC’s biggest disclosed donor, St. Louis investor and mega-donor Rex Sinquefield, has supported Schmitt throughout his political career.

“The stakes couldn’t be any higher. We need the majority,” Schmitt said of the race on Saturday during a stop in Cottleville, near St. Louis, according to St. Louis Public Radio.

Greitens has denied allegations of sexual misconduct and abusive behavior.

“What it shows is how desperate they are. It shows how desperate they are,” Greitens said Monday about the attacks against him.

Democrats court Kansas City votes

Whoever wins the Republican primary will likely face in the general election either Lucas Kunce or Trudy Busch Valentine, the top contenders for the Democratic nomination.

Both candidates have campaigned in Kansas City in recent days.

Kunce, a former Marine, made his pitch to Kansas City voters earlier this month at J. Rieger & Co. distillery. He’s run a populist campaign centered on reversing the decay that he says grips working-class areas of the state.

“When we stand for something, people believe in us. We can get people back. We can actually win,” Kunce said.

Busch Valentine, a philanthropist and heiress to the Busch beer family, has the support of much of the state’s Democratic establishment. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas attended a Busch Valentine meet and greet event at Clay County Democratic Headquarters on Saturday. Lucas said he wasn’t endorsing but was trying to learn more.

“I’m in this race because the divisions and the vitriol in our country are so strong, we need to start working together. We need to bring back dignity. We need to bring back truth, honesty and a person of character,” Busch Valentine said.

Kunce has alleged Busch Valentine is trying to use her personal wealth to buy the race. Busch Valentine dismissed the attack, telling reporters that’s not possible.

“How can I buy an election,” Busch Valentine said. “People have to go out and vote. That’s the only way you can win an election.”