Former Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will not be entering the open Senate race in the midterm elections, likely diminishing Democrats’ chances for an upset next November.
Nixon, who served as governor from 2009 to 2017, announced his decision Thursday in a social media post.
“I always thrived on policy more than politics. My post-Governor involvement on a myriad of matters is not filtered through a partisan lens — that is liberating and I want it to continue,” he said in a statement. “I am not running for U.S. Senate. I choose a different path.”
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The 65-year-old was considered a possible candidate to fight for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Roy Blunt. A planned appearance at a fundraiser for the Clay County Democratic Party next week increased speculation of a possible return to the political arena, according to the Missouri Independent.
“While I deeply appreciate the many people who have reached out and acknowledging folks’ angst about the track of our country’s divisive politics, I believe I will be more effective outside of this partisan back and forth,” he added.
Without Nixon, the Democratic candidates who have filed paperwork to run for the vacant seat in 2022 include Marine Corps veteran Lance Kunce, activist Tim Shepard, former state Sen. Scott Sifton, and entrepreneur Spencer Toder.
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Whoever emerges from the Democratic primary will have to take on the winner of a Republican primary that includes disgraced former Gov. Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, attorney Mark McCloskey, or U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler.
While the race is not expected to be very competitive in Republican-leaning Missouri, the selection of a controversial nominee has tanked the GOP’s Senate hopes in recent years. After nominating former Rep. Todd Akin, known for saying women’s bodies can “shut … down” procreation processes when they are victims of “legitimate rape,” Republicans saw former Sen. Clare McCaskill, a Democrat, win the state’s 2012 Senate contest. McCaskill was then defeated by Sen. Josh Hawley in 2018.
