JEFFERSON CITY — Republican Mike Kehoe is officially the 58th governor of the State of Missouri. Former U.S. Senator Roy Blunt administered the oath of office to Kehoe at his inauguration on the South Lawn of the State Capitol in front of a crowd of hundreds Monday afternoon.
“Growing up, no one would have looked at me and said, ‘One day, that kid is going to be sworn in by Senator Roy Blunt as the 58th governor of the state of Missouri,'” Kehoe said in his address. “And I will never forget where I came from.”
Kehoe made his upbringing a central aspect of his campaign for governor.
Raised by a single mom in North St. Louis, he would eventually go on to become a successful car salesperson in Jefferson City before serving for eight years in the Missouri Senate and six as Missouri’s lieutenant governor.
“This day, this moment in time, it’s a win, it’s a big win, for single mothers like Lorraine Kehoe,” Kehoe said.
Kehoe thanked his family for supporting him throughout his career as a lawmaker, especially his wife, Claudia, who will occupy the Governor’s Mansion with him.
“My wife, Claudia, has been an incredible partner and been by my side every step of the way, and she will be an amazing first lady of the state of Missouri,” Kehoe said.
Gov. Mike Kehoe is expected to issue orders targeting crime Monday, a tone-setting move that reflects a national trend.
Kehoe handily defeated Democrat and former Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade for the governorship in November. But, in the primaries, he positioned himself as the most moderate of the Republicans in a true three-way race with former Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and former state Sen. Bill Eigel — a strategy that proved successful.
“Political opponents cast each other as traitors and criminals; I reject this,” Kehoe said in his address, met by applause from the crowd. “I believe we can work together without sacrificing our core beliefs.”
But, Kehoe made it very clear that his agenda will be a conservative one.
“When we succeed together, Missouri and our citizens will serve as a model of responsible, conservative and innovative leadership,” Kehoe said.
He will lay out his official agenda during his first state of the state address at the end of the month. The governor did give insight into his priorities at his inauguration, including highlighting public safety, expanding school choice, tax reduction efforts and bolstering Missouri’s agriculture economy — all issues he brought up frequently on the campaign trail.
“My life growing up in the inner city, moving to a small town, building a business and operating a ranch — these experiences have taught me one thing: Missourians are more alike than we are different,” Kehoe said. “All of us want to feel safe in our homes and our neighborhoods. We want our kids to get a good, quality education. We want to work hard to support our families. Achieving these things — that’s how we secure Missouri’s future.”
Kehoe was sworn in just after David Wasinger as lieutenant governor, Denny Hoskins as secretary of state, Vivek Malek as treasurer and Andrew Bailey as attorney general. All are Republicans, maintaining the party’s control over every statewide office since 2022.
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