Republican Sen. Roy Blunt defeated former Democratic Secretary of State of Missouri Jason Kander in the Missouri Senate race Tuesday.
Blunt put up a solid fight. Kander was easily out-funded, raising a comparatively small $10,922,633 in the race. Blunt managed to raise $14,914,518 as of Nov. 6, outspending Kander by over $4 million.
Blunt carried a small lead into election day in the Real Clear polling average, earning a 1.3 percent lead in the average. Kander carried a lead in the last poll of the race, earning 46 percent to Blunt’s 45 percent in the Emerson University statewide poll.
Political statistician Nate Silver predicted a Blunt win, giving the Sen. a 59.3 percent chance of retaining his seat. The UVa Center for Politics also predicted a Blunt win, giving the race a “leans Republican” label in the latest Crystal Ball published Monday.
Blunt won the Republican primary with 72.6 percent of the vote, earning 481,444 individual votes. Kander won a similarly high 69.9 percent of the Democratic vote in his primary, but only garnered 223,492 individual votes.
The two squared off alongside Libertarian candidate Jonathan Dine in the only debate in the race. The three candidates battled over Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, as well as drug use, free college tuition, and gun rights.
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Blunt attacked Kander for his strong leftist policies that support the expansion of Obamacare, higher income taxes, as well as additional energy taxes. Kander fought back with an epic ad that showed the Senate candidate putting together an assault-style rifle, and discussing his career in the military.
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