Every August, thousands of Missourians converge upon Sedalia for 11 days of food, fun and fellowship during the Missouri State Fair. The Missouri Farm Bureau building is always a hotbed of activity, and while there’s not a staff member standing at the door counting the number of attendees who enter in search of ice-cold milk, insurance and membership giveaways, or to sign up for a lawnmower drawing, the consensus was that this year felt “busy.” From the time the doors opened until they shut for the last time each night, fairgoers seemed to be everywhere.

One way to quantify that feeling every even-numbered year is through the traditional MOFB “Straw Poll.” While not scientific, the State Fair Straw Poll has a 42-year track record of gauging how Missourians are leaning in advance of the big November races. Two years ago, then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt picked up a runaway victory with just shy of 1,400 total Straw Poll votes during his quest to join the U.S. Senate. This year, that number jumped more than 50 percent, with more than 2,200 people tapping their preferences for President, Governor and U.S. Senate on an MOFB tablet.

The MOFB PAC-endorsed candidate for Governor, Mike Kehoe, garnered the highest percentage of votes in the Straw Poll by capturing 73.6 percent against his November opponent, Crystal Quade. Kehoe will look to ride the momentum of his Republican primary victory earlier this month into the Governor’s mansion as the state’s 58th Governor on November 5, and rural Missouri has already made it clear they stand behind him in his quest.

Josh Hawley, who is running for re-election for his seat in the U.S. Senate, picked up 64.1 percent of the responses in his head-to-head battle with Lucas Kunce. Similarly to Lieutenant Governor Kehoe, the MOFB PAC offered its endorsement of Senator Hawley back in February, having stood behind the state’s senior Senator dating back to his days as Missouri’s Attorney General.

Finally, Donald Trump received 72.2 percent of the votes in a three-way battle with current Vice President Kamala Harris and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Harris logged 22.5 percent of the total votes cast, while Kennedy, Jr. earned just 5.3 percent prior to the suspension of his campaign on Aug. 23. Former President Trump carried Missouri substantially in both the 2016 and 2020 national elections, so it’s little surprise to see him dominate the MOFB Straw Poll once again.

While the Straw Poll has always focused on races that impact all Missourians, it’s important for voters across the state to be engaged in other “down ballot” contests. Headlines in the media traditionally come from the top, oftentimes leading to races at the state and local levels being overlooked. MOFB prides itself on its grassroots structure and county strength, so it’s as important as ever to be educated on your entire ballot. Visit your county clerk’s office or website to view a sample ballot, check out the MOFB PAC-endorsed candidates at mofb.org/pac, and make plans to get to the polls on or before November 5!