Why It Matters
Missouri’s crowded Republican primary for state Senate in August will partly turn on whether voters embrace Governor Mike Kehoe’s tax restructuring proposal—a clash that reflects deeper disagreement within the GOP about the scope of legislative authority and tax transparency.
What Happened
Six Republican candidates are competing for Missouri’s 6th District Senate seat, vacated by term-limited incumbent Mike Bernskoetter. The race has become an unexpected battleground over Amendment 5, Kehoe’s signature initiative, which would authorize lawmakers to impose sales taxes on currently untaxed goods and services and raise existing rates—all in service of phasing out the state income tax within five years.
Four of the six candidates have publicly expressed reservations about the amendment’s vagueness regarding which transactions would be taxed and by how much. State Rep. Rudy Veit of Wardsville, who is running for the seat after eight years in the House, was one of only nine House Republicans to vote against the amendment legislation in April. Veit also cast a minority Republican vote against Amendment 4, which would impose stricter approval requirements for citizen-led constitutional amendments.
Jake Vogel, president of Jefferson City Coca-Cola Bottling Company, has broken from the skeptical majority among his rivals. Vogel said he would have voted yes on Amendment 5. Governor Kehoe endorsed Vogel, and he and First Lady Claudia Kehoe attended a May reception supporting Vogel’s campaign.
The other candidates expressing concern about Amendment 5 include Amber Buckles, a Macks Creek restaurant owner; Todd “Ike” Skelton, Camden County Presiding Commissioner from Osage Beach; and Lisa Thomas, a former state representative and psychiatrist from Lake Ozark.
The primary race has grown contentious. Vogel has faced attack mailers funded by a political action committee called Missourians for Ethical and Transparent Government, which has been financed almost entirely by Thomas. The mailers reference Vogel’s 2016 DWI arrest and a 2020 domestic violence call involving him. Vogel served in the U.S. Army beginning in 2005 as an Army Ranger and assault sniper in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The winner of the August 4 primary will face Democrat J. Don Salcedo of Jefferson City, who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The district encompasses Cole, Camden, Miller, Moniteau, and Morgan counties.
By the Numbers
6 — Republican candidates in the primary
4 of 6 — candidates saying Amendment 5 is too vague about new or increased taxes
9 — House Republicans who voted against Amendment 5 legislation in April
8 — years Veit has served in the state House
August 4 — date of the primary election
Zoom Out
The split over Amendment 5 mirrors broader tensions within state Republican parties nationwide over how aggressively to restructure tax codes. While some GOP leaders view shifting away from income taxation as economically beneficial, others worry that giving legislatures broad latitude to impose new sales taxes—without specifying which items would be taxed—amounts to a blank check for future tax increases.
Missouri’s amendment process itself has become contentious. Amendment 4, which Veit also opposed, reflects Republican frustration with citizen-initiated ballot measures. The stricter approval threshold for voter-drafted amendments—requiring statewide majority and majority support in each congressional district—would make it harder for grassroots campaigns to amend the constitution without legislative involvement. Veit had proposed an alternative requiring a 55 percent statewide majority without the congressional district component.
What’s Next
The August 4 primary will show whether Missouri voters in the 6th District align with Kehoe’s tax vision or side with candidates demanding greater clarity on the tax changes the amendment would authorize. Amendment 5 itself still faces a statewide ballot before it can take effect, giving voters a second chance to weigh in on the proposal.