Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens enters U.S. Senate race
Published March 22, 2021
Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, a Jewish Republican who resigned in 2018 amidst a number of scandals, has entered the race to fill the seat of U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, who is not seeking reelection in 2022.
Greitens made the announcement on Fox News and shared the clip on Twitter Monday night.
“As a Navy SEAL, I fought for this country to ensure our freedoms are protected,” Greitens wrote. “Now, the Left wants to take those freedoms away from you. That’s why I’m running for the US Senate in Missouri. We must fight to take America back from the lunacy of the left.”
Greitens resigned in June 2018 as he faced two possible trials on felony charges and impeachment proceedings. They were related to a 2015 extramarital affair and use of a donor list connected to his charitable organization, The Mission Continues.
“The last few months have been incredibly difficult for me, for my family, for my team, for my friends and for many, many people,” Greitens, a former Navy SEAL said at the time. He described the “ordeal” as “legal harassment” and said it was “designed to cause an incredible amount of strain on my family.”
But Greitens did not stay out of politics for long and said in 2020 that it was possible that he would challenge Missouri Gov. Mike Parson in that year’s election, but he ultimately did not run.
No other prominent Republicans have yet entered the primary, but the Kansas City Star reported that Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is actively considering it.