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Donald Trump hedges endorsement for Missouri governor, backs three major GOP candidates

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Donald Trump hedges endorsement for Missouri governor, backs three major GOP candidates


Former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening hedged his endorsement in the Republican primary for Missouri governor, pledging his support to all three major candidates.

The decision, which Trump announced just before 7:30 p.m. on his social media platform, Truth Social, comes amid a tight race for governor between Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Sen. Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring.

“All have had excellent careers, and have been with me from the beginning. They are MAGA and America First all the way!” Trump wrote in the post. “I can’t hurt two of them by Endorsing one so, therefore, I’m going to Endorse, for Governor of the Great State of Missouri, Jay Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe, and Bill Eigel. Choose any one of them – You can’t go wrong!”

The split decision allows each of the candidates, who have long fought for Trump’s support, to claim his endorsement before the Aug. 6 primary election. It also gives the former president the opportunity to claim victory no matter which candidate wins.

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Each candidate quickly seized on the endorsement. Ashcroft was the first, saying he was “excited to stand with” Trump.

“No one has fought harder for President Trump than me,” Ashcroft posted on social media. “Thank you President Trump!”

Eigel posted that he was grateful for “the kind words” and endorsement. He followed up by posting a graphic touting the endorsement and promising to “deport every illegal” as Republicans attempt to draw attention to illegal immigration ahead of the election.

Kehoe also thanked Trump, saying he looked forward to working with Trump “as we close the wide-open southern border, back our police, and stand strong for our conservative values.”

Trump’s post marked the second time the former president has hedged his endorsement in Missouri. In the 2022 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, Trump backed “ERIC,” without specifying whether he was supporting then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt or former Gov. Eric Greitens. Schmitt went on to win the primary and the general election.

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Trump, who is running for president, has loomed over Republican primary races across the country. Missouri Republicans have battled to demonstrate loyalty and support to the former president, including making immigration a central focus of their campaigns.

Jean Evans, a former executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, previously told The Star that each candidate for governor would try to earn an endorsement from Trump.

“The best case scenario he’s supporting you, worst case scenario he’s supporting somebody else,” she said at the time. “So you’re trying to stem that off, but I would imagine all three of them have some attempts to meet with Trump.”

Publicly available polling has consistently shown a tight race between Kehoe and Ashcroft at the top, followed by Eigel in third.

Trump, in his post, said he loved Missouri “for every reason in the book, including the fact that it is ‘loaded up’ with truly GREAT people.”

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“I also like Endorsing Candidates for Office if I think they’re good, and usually there is a differentiation, usually a big one, where it is not that difficult to do,” he said. “But Missouri has three great people running for Governor – Jay Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe, and Bill Eigel.”

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade and businessman Mike Hamra, both from Springfield, are the two major Democratic candidates running for governor.



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10 pounds of meth found during I-70 traffic stop, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office says

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10 pounds of meth found during I-70 traffic stop, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office says


Callaway County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two Mexico, Missouri, residents on suspicion of possession of 10 pounds of methamphetamine, according to a social media post from the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 10:18 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies conducted traffic stops on Interstate 70 regarding an ongoing narcotics investigation by the Sheriff’s Office investigators assigned to the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, according to the social media post.

Deputies made contact with Louetta Dorsey, 43, and Brian Wilson, 41, of Mexico, in their vehicles during the investigation, according to the social media post. The two suspects were in separate vehicles, and one was allegedly acting as a decoy vehicle for the other, according to court documents.

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During the traffic stops, deputies located approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Dorsey and Wilson were arrested and taken to the Callaway County Jail, according to the social media post.

Dorsey has been charged with second-degree drug trafficking and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records. Charges for Wilson were not appearing in Missouri’s online court record system as of Friday afternoon.

A probable cause statement filed in Dorsey’s case indicates that both she and Wilson were under investigation on suspicion of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Audrain, Boone and Callaway counties.

Members of the MUSTANG Drug Task Force worked with the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Drug Task Force and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office-MO to execute additional narcotics related search warrants, according to the social media post.

The results of the search warrants revealed firearms and drug paraphernalia commonly used for drug trafficking, according to the social media post.

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What’s closed on Juneteenth in Missouri? Check trash, libraries, banks

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What’s closed on Juneteenth in Missouri? Check trash, libraries, banks


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Juneteenth is marking five years since it was officially recognized as a federal holiday.

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Given the holiday’s relatively recent federal designation, it may not be clear to many what will be open/closed on Juneteenth. Will the post office be open? Will my trash get collected? Can I go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew my license?

Here’s a guide to what is open and closed on Juneteenth in Missouri.

When is Juneteenth 2026?

This year, Juneteenth will be celebrated on Friday, June 19. The holiday is also often celebrated on the third Saturday of June, with many events taking place on that day.

Communities use this day to honor resilience, culture and progress through various events, gatherings and activities. These can include church services, picnics, barbecues, parades and festivals, to name a few.

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Are federal or Missouri state offices open on Juneteenth?

Given that Juneteenth is a federal holiday, non-essential federal offices will be closed.

It’s also a state holiday in Missouri, so all local governments and state offices will be closed, as well.

Will major retailers be open on Juneteenth?

Most major retailers, grocery stores, warehouse clubs and restaurants should be open on Juneteenth, but you may want to check with your local stores to confirm business hours, as they can vary by location.

Is the post office open on Juneteenth? Will mail be delivered?

All post offices will be closed, and mail will not be delivered on Juneteenth, according to the U.S. Postal Service’s website.

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FedEx and UPS will operate more or less as usual, and their stores will be open.

Are banks open on Juneteenth?

Most banks will be closed on Juneteenth, as most follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule.

Is the stock market open on Juneteenth?

Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market will be closed on Juneteenth.

Will trash pickup happen on Juneteenth?

Trash pickup on Juneteenth varies from city to city, so it’s best to check with your local waste management service to see whether they observe the holiday.

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Trash pickup can be delayed by one day if the scheduled pickup falls on a federal holiday.

Columbia will have normal trash pickup on Friday, according to the city’s website. Each hauler in Springfield sets its own holiday schedule. Ozark Refuse, Republic Services and Waste Management are not delayed for the holiday.

Are libraries and DMV offices open on Juneteenth?

Holiday hours can vary among Missouri’s libraries, so it’s best to check whether the ones in your area will be open on Juneteenth.

The Daniel Boone Regional Library network in Columbia and Springfield-Greene County Library District branches will be closed.

All Missouri Department of Revenue offices will be closed on Juneteenth, including driver examination stations. With that being said, some license offices will be operating during the holiday, so check the Missouri License Office Locator to see if your local office is open.

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Missouri judge strikes down nearly all state abortion regulations

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Missouri judge strikes down nearly all state abortion regulations


Nearly all of Missouri’s abortion regulations, including laws that Planned Parenthood said made it impossible for providers to prescribe medication abortion, were struck down in a ruling Thursday by a Jackson County judge. One of the regulations most widely condemned by abortion rights supporters, a 72-hour waiting period between an initial consultation and an abortion, […]



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