COLUMBIA, Mo. — Just two months after a historic election for the Missouri Republican Party, the Missouri Republican State Committee elected its new officers.
The GOP swept all seven statewide elections this past November, all while retaining their supermajorities in the House and Senate – a testament to the efforts of the GOP leaders leaving their positions.
The committee met in Columbia Saturday afternoon, unanimously selecting Todd Graves as the new chairman, Kay Hoflander as vice chair, Nick Myers as secretary, and Pat Thomas as treasurer.
The selection of Graves came as little surprise for many, as incoming Gov.-elect Eric Greitens gave his support for Graves’ selection as chairman in December.
“Todd Graves is a conservative fighter, and I know that he will do an outstanding job as party Chairman,” Greitens said. “I’m excited to work with him and his team to take Missouri in a new direction.”
The outgoing chairman, John Hancock, also praised the election of Graves.
“Todd Graves is a strong leader, and he has tremendous political sense, proven fundraising ability, and an ability to unite people. I expect that he will lead the Republican Party to continued success in 2018 and beyond,” Hancock said.
The Missouri Republican Party said in a release that their leadership team will be working closely with Gov.-elect Greitens and the Republican officials to move Missouri in a new direction.
Graves stated in the past that should he take the helm of the Missouri GOP, he would like to focus on winning the offices of State Auditor Nicole Galloway and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill for Republicans. He also said he would like to consolidate support for the party in suburban areas and emphasize minority outreach.
Benjamin Peters was a reporter for The Missouri Times and Missouri Times Magazine and also produced the #MoLeg Podcast. He joined The Missouri Times in 2016 after working as a sports editor and TV news producer in mid-Missouri. Benjamin is a graduate of Missouri State University in Springfield.
