ST. CHARLES, Mo. — About 1,200 people gathered at the annual Defense of Liberty event Friday where nearly every candidate for U.S. Senate made their pitch to voters. The 8th-annual event, hosted by former state Rep. Paul Curtman and Sen. Bill Eigel, was the largest to date.
“The Defense of Liberty event was an unbelievable success — 1,200 people from around the state and even other states came together to celebrate liberty,” Eigel told The Missouri Times. “It was the largest political event at the St. Charles Convention Center since President Donald Trump himself visited in 2018.”
Curtman said Friday’s packed event at the St. Charles Convention Center was the largest event thus far and described it as a “good group for activists and strong conservatives.” Dinner was served while the U.S. Senate candidates and others spoke.
Attorney General Eric Schmitt touted his fight to end mask mandates in the state, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler decried critical race theory, Congressman Billy Long recalled why he got into the race, and attorney Mark McCloskey recounted the now infamous protest outside of his house that garnered national media attention.
Former Gov. Eric Greitens was the only candidate who did not attend the event.
Those in attendance voted state Sen. Bob Onder Liberty Champion of the Year with Sen. Mike Moon the runner-up. A straw poll of the U.S. Senate candidates was also conducted, but the results of that were not immediately available.
Several prominent Missouri Republicans, including Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, were in attendance.
Conservative political commentator Candace Owens headlined the event.
“Candace Owens is great, and her message is clear — reform our broken government systems or risk losing America. This is the choice that will occupy elected and candidate Republicans in the coming years,” Eigel said.
Before the event, Eigel had a private fundraiser featuring Owens — hosted by David and Thelma Stewart — at the Bogey Club. The event included around 50 prominent Missouri business owners and reportedly raised about $40,000.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
