Editing Perry County, Missouri (section)

==Politics==

===Local===
The [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] predominantly controls politics at the local level in Perry County. Republicans hold all of the elected positions in the county.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://perrycountymo.us/8/Government-Offices|title=Government Offices &#124; Perry County, MO - Official Website}}</ref>

{{Missouri county elected officials
| name              =Perry County, Missouri
| assessor          =Charles Triller
| assessorparty     =Republican
| circuitclerk      =Jennifer Hotop
| circuitclerkparty =Republican
| countyclerk       =Jared Kutz
| countyclerkparty  =Republican
| presiding         =Mike Sauer
| presidingparty    =Republican
| district1         =Jay Wengert
| district1party    =Republican
| district2         =Keith Hoehn
| district2party    =Republican
| collector         =Rodney J. Richardet
| collectorparty    =Republican
| coroner           =William "Bill" Bohnert
| coronerparty      =Republican
| prosecutor        =Caitlin Pistorio
| prosecutorparty   =Republican
| administrator     =Tamara M. Tarrillion
| administratorparty=Republican
| recorder          =Dana Pritchard
| recorderparty     =Republican
| sheriff           =Jason Klaus
| sheriffparty      =Republican
| surveyor          =Tim Baer
| surveyorparty     =Republican
| treasurer         =Katie Schemel
| treasurerparty    =Republican
}}

===State===
Perry County is divided into two districts in the [[Missouri House of Representatives]], both of which are held by Republicans.

*District 116 - Currently represented by [[Dale Wright (politician)]] (R-[[Farmington, MO|Farmington]]) and includes North of the city of Perryville as well as some area east and west of the city. Wright has represented the district since 2018.
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 116 – Perry County (2020)<ref name="perrycountymo.us">{{Cite web |url=https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3771/November-3-2020-General-Election-Results |title=November 3, 2020 General Election Results |access-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217051308/https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3771/November-3-2020-General-Election-Results |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Dale Wright'''
  |votes      = '''2,592'''
  |percentage = '''99.35%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 116 – Perry County (2018)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/elections/results/race/2018-11-06-state_house-MO-26341/|title = Missouri State House - District 116 Election Results &#124; USA TODAY|website = [[USA Today]]}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Dale Wright'''
  |votes      = '''1,759'''
  |percentage = '''75.40%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Kramer
  |votes      = 575
  |percentage = 24.60%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 116 – Perry County (2016)<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web |url=https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3667/November-8-2016-General-Election-Official-Results |title=November 8, 3016 General Election Results |access-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227221917/https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3667/November-8-2016-General-Election-Official-Results |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kevin Engler'''
  |votes      = '''2,330'''
  |percentage = '''99.32%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 116 – Perry County (2014)<ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite web |url=https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3659/November-4-2014-General-Election-Official-Results |title=November 4, 2014 General Election Results |access-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227221918/https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3659/November-4-2014-General-Election-Official-Results |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kevin Engler'''
  |votes      = '''1,288'''
  |percentage = '''99.31%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 116 – Perry County (2012)<ref name="ReferenceC">{{Cite web |url=https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3658/November-6-2012-General-Election-Official-Results |title=November 6, 3013 General Election Results |access-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227221920/https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3658/November-6-2012-General-Election-Official-Results |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kevin Engler'''
  |votes      = '''2,107'''
  |percentage = '''99.25%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
*District 145 - Currently represented by [[Rick Francis]] (R-[[Perryville, Missouri]]) and includes the rest of Perry County (Altenburg, Biehle, Frohna, Longtown).
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 145 – Perry County (2020)<ref name="perrycountymo.us"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Rick Francis'''
  |votes      = '''5,201'''
  |percentage = '''84.98%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mike Lindley
  |votes      = 916
  |percentage = 14.97%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 145 – Perry County (2018)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/elections/results/race/2018-11-06-state_house-MO-26399/ | title=Missouri State House - District 145 Election Results &#124; the Commercial Appeal }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Rick Francis'''
  |votes      = '''3,929'''
  |percentage = '''83.0%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ronald Pember
  |votes      = 807
  |percentage = 17.0%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 145 – Perry County (2016)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Rick Francis'''
  |votes      = '''4,509'''
  |percentage = '''80.75%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ronald Pember
  |votes      = 869
  |percentage = 15.57%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent politician
  |candidate  = Victoria (Tori) Proffer
  |votes      = 199
  |percentage = 3.56%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 145 – Perry County (2014)<ref name="ReferenceB"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Shelly (White) Keeney'''
  |votes      = '''2,451'''
  |percentage = '''79.04%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Charles Elrod
  |votes      = 645
  |percentage = 20.807%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 145 – Perry County (2012)<ref name="ReferenceC"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Shelly (White) Keeney'''
  |votes      = '''4,131'''
  |percentage = '''99.30%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

All of Perry County is a part of Missouri's 27th District in the [[Missouri Senate]] and is currently represented by [[Missouri Senate|State Senator]] [[Holly Rehder]] (R-[[Scott City, Missouri|Scott City]]). The 27th Senatorial District consists of [[Bollinger County, Missouri|Bollinger]], [[Cape Girardeau County, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]], [[Madison County, Missouri|Madison]], [[Mississippi County, Missouri|Mississippi]], Perry, and [[Scott County, Missouri|Scott]] counties.

{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Perry County (2020)<ref name="perrycountymo.us"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Holly Rehder'''
  |votes      = '''7,379'''
  |percentage = '''81.57%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Donnie Owens
  |votes      = 1,663
  |percentage = 18.38%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Perry County (2016)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Wayne Wallingford'''
  |votes      = '''6,233'''
  |percentage = '''77.59%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Donnie Owens
  |votes      = 1,791
  |percentage = 22.30%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Perry County (2012)<ref name="ReferenceC"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Wayne Wallingford'''
  |votes      = '''6,397'''
  |percentage = '''98.98%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Perry County (2008)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3656/November-4-2008-General-Election-Official-Results |title=November 4, 2008 General Election Results |access-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227221922/https://perrycountymo.us/DocumentCenter/View/3656/November-4-2008-General-Election-Official-Results |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason Crowell'''
  |votes      = '''5,506'''
  |percentage = '''68.79%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Linda Sanders
  |votes      = 2,496
  |percentage = 31.18%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Past gubernatorial election results<ref name="perrycountymo.us"/>
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2024 Missouri gubernatorial election|2024]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''82.46%''' ''7,847''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|15.77% ''1,501''
|align="center" |1.77% ''168''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2020 Missouri gubernatorial election|2020]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''81.12%''' ''7,595''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|17.41% ''1,630''
|align="center" |1.45% ''136''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2016 Missouri gubernatorial election|2016]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''66.39%''' ''5,725''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.89% ''2,664''
|align="center" |2.65% ''229''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012|2012]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''51.57%''' ''4,057''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|46.36% ''3,647''
|align="center" |2.07% ''163''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''51.85%''' ''4,391''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|46.24% ''3,916''
|align="center" |1.90% ''161''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''64.57%''' ''5,293''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|34.43% ''2,822''
|align="center" |1.00% ''82''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''65.33%''' ''4,735''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.37% ''2,419''
|align="center" |1.30% ''94''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|48.94% ''3,307''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''49.62%''' ''3,353''
|align="center" |1.44% ''97''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1992|1992]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.65%''' ''4,020''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|43.35% ''3,076''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1988|1988]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''74.11%''' ''4,459''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|25.49% ''1,534''
|align="center" |0.40% ''24''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1984|1984]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''68.20%''' ''4,309''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|31.80% ''2,009''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1980|1980]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.14%''' ''4,333''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|43.81% ''3,381''
|align="center" |0.05% ''4''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1976|1976]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''64.46%''' ''4,416''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|35.44% ''2,428''
|align="center" |0.10% ''7''
|}

===Federal===
Perry County is included in [[MO-08|Missouri's 8th Congressional District]] and is currently represented by [[Jason T. Smith]] (R-[[Salem, Missouri|Salem]]) in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish out the remaining term of [[U.S. Representative]] [[Jo Ann Emerson]] (R-[[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]]). Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative.

{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 – Perry County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jo Ann Emerson'''
  |votes      = '''6,272'''
  |percentage = '''80.16'''
  |change     = +9.19
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jack Rushin
  |votes      = 1,326
  |percentage = 16.95
  |change     = -5.89
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rick Vandeven
  |votes      = 226
  |percentage = 2.89
  |change     = +1.03
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 - Special Election – Perry County (2013)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''1,240'''
  |percentage = '''72.09'''
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Steve Hodges
  |votes      = 380
  |percentage = 22.09
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Doug Enyart
  |votes      = 63
  |percentage = 3.66
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Slantz
  |votes      = 35
  |percentage = 2.03
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Write-in candidate 
  |candidate  = Robert W. George
  |votes      = 1
  |percentage = 0.06
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Write-in candidate
  |candidate  = Thomas Brown
  |votes      = 1
  |percentage = 0.06
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 – Perry County (2020)<ref name="perrycountymo.us"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''7,397'''
  |percentage = '''80.82'''
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 1,621
  |percentage = 17.71
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Tom Schmitz
  |votes      = 134
  |percentage = 1.46
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box end}}

====Political culture====
{{PresHead|place=Perry County, Missouri|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,986|1,757|101|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,657|1,664|135|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|6,908|1,520|312|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,669|2,184|134|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,527|3,005|115|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,583|2,621|43|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,667|2,085|151|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,427|2,517|837|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|3,205|2,525|1,522|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,836|2,136|14|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,493|1,837|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,053|2,416|220|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|4,086|2,801|31|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,736|1,953|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,858|1,958|462|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,837|3,456|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,886|2,991|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,400|2,346|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,633|2,324|3|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,903|2,133|7|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|4,207|2,014|5|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|4,656|2,354|9|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|3,382|3,098|126|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,396|3,502|19|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,648|2,591|6|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|7,280|6,568|1,388|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,652|1,504|25|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,988|1,396|20|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Republican|1,735|1,564|112|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,775|1,569|35|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,733|1,522|49|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,681|1,660|31|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,522|1,450|38|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,297|1,464|5|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|1,198|1,283|50|Missouri}}

At the presidential level, Perry County is a reliably Republican stronghold. [[John McCain]] easily carried the county over [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]], and [[George W. Bush]] carried Perry County by even stronger margins in [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]] and [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]. The last Democratic presidential nominee to win Perry County was [[Lyndon Johnson|Lyndon B. Johnson]] in the landslide [[1964 United States presidential election|Election of 1964]].

Like most rural areas, voters in Perry County generally adhere to socially and culturally [[Conservatism|conservative]] principles which strongly influence their Republican leanings. In 2004, Missourians voted on [[Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2004)|a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman]]—it overwhelmingly passed Perry County with 85.07 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban [[same-sex marriage]]. In 2006, Missourians voted on [[Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)|a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state]]—it failed in Perry County with 69.45 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve [[Embryonic stem cell|embryonic stem cell research]]. Despite Perry County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing [[Populism|populist]] causes like increasing the [[minimum wage]]. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed Perry County with 69.52 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 75.94 percent voting in favor as the minimum wage was increased to $6.50 an hour in the state. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.

===Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)===
{{main|2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary|2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary}}
Unlike many of the rural areas in Missouri that backed former [[Governor of Arkansas|Governor]] [[Mike Huckabee]] (R-[[Arkansas]]), Perry County provided [[U.S. Senator]] [[John McCain]] (R-[[Arizona]]) with his third strongest showing in Missouri. However, former [[U.S. Senator]] [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-[[New York (state)|New York]]) received more votes, a total of 1,180, than any candidate from either party in Perry County during the 2008 presidential primary.