Editing Gentry County, Missouri (section)

==Politics==
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2014}}

===Local===
Political control is divided at the local level in Gentry County. Republicans hold a slim majority of the elected positions in the county.

{{Missouri county elected officials
| name              =Gentry County, Missouri
| assessor          =Penny Woods
| assessorparty     =Republican
| circuitclerk      =Janet Parsons
| circuitclerkparty =Republican
| countyclerk       =Carol Reidlinger
| countyclerkparty  =Democratic
| presiding         =Mike Sager
| presidingparty    =Republican
| district1         =Larry B. Wilson
| district1party    =Democratic
| district2         =Gary Carlson
| district2party    =Republican
| collector         =Linda Combs
| collectorparty    =Democratic
| coroner           =Andrew E. Lindner
| coronerparty      =Republican
| prosecutor        =Jessica J. Jones
| prosecutorparty   =Republican
| administrator     =Vicky Fish
| administratorparty=Republican
| recorder          =Janet Parsons
| recorderparty     =Republican
| sheriff           =Tim Davis
| sheriffparty      =Democratic
| treasurer         =Linda Combs
| treasurerparty    =Democratic
}}

===State===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|[[2024 Missouri gubernatorial election|2024]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|'''81.45%''' ''2,639''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|17.07% ''553''
|  style="text-align:center;"|1.48% ''48''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020|2020]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''78.85%''' ''2,539''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|19.60% ''631''
|align="center" |1.55% ''50''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016|2016]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''64.07%''' ''1,940''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.35% ''1,010''
|align="center" |2.58% ''78''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012|2012]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|47.92% ''1,429''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''48.89%''' ''1,458''
|align="center" |3.19% ''95''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|42.98% ''1,400''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''54.16%''' ''1,764''
|align="center" |2.86% ''93''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''57.61%''' ''1,901''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|41.03% ''1,354''
|align="center" |1.36% ''45''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|49.24% ''1,522''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''49.27%''' ''1,523''
|align="center" |2.12% ''46''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|29.67% ''981''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''68.75%''' ''2,273''
|align="center" |1.57% ''52''
|}

Gentry County is part of the 2nd district in the [[Missouri House of Representatives]], currently held by [http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=002 J. Eggleston] (R-[[Maysville, Missouri|Maysville]]).
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 2 — Gentry County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''J. Eggleston'''
  |votes      = '''2,570'''
  |percentage = '''81.46%'''
  |change     = '''-18.54'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mindi Smith
  |votes      = 585
  |percentage = 18.54%
  |change     = +18.54
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 2 — Gentry County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''J. Eggleston'''
  |votes      = '''2,228'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     = '''+0.00'''
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Gentry County is a part of Missouri's 12th District in the [[Missouri Senate]] and is currently represented by [http://www.senate.mo.gov/mem12/ Dan Hegeman] (R-[[Cosby, Missouri|Cosby]]). 
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri Senate — District 12 — Gentry County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Dan Hegeman'''
  |votes      = '''1,998'''
  |percentage = '''79.76%'''
  |change     = '''-20.24'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Terry Richard
  |votes      = 507
  |percentage = 20.24%
  |change     = +20.24
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri Senate — District 12 — Gentry County (2014)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Dan Hegeman'''
  |votes      = '''1,322'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}

===Federal===
All of Gentry County is included in [[MO-06|Missouri's 6th Congressional District]] and is currently represented by [[Sam Graves]] (R-[[Tarkio, Missouri|Tarkio]]) in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. Graves was elected to an eleventh term in [[2020 United States House of Representatives elections|2020]] over Democratic challenger Gena Ross.
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 6th Congressional District — Gentry County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Sam Graves'''
  |votes      = '''2,591'''
  |percentage = '''81.25%'''
  |change     = '''+5.35'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Gena L. Ross
  |votes      = 535
  |percentage = 16.78%
  |change     = -3.54
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jim Higgins
  |votes      = 63
  |percentage = 1.98%
  |change     = -1.80
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 6th Congressional District — Gentry County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Sam Graves'''
  |votes      = '''1,927'''
  |percentage = '''75.90%'''
  |change     = '''-0.74'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Henry Robert Martin
  |votes      = 516
  |percentage = 20.32%
  |change     = -0.47
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Dan Hogan
  |votes      = 96
  |percentage = 3.78%
  |change     = +2.28
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Gentry County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the [[U.S. Senate]] by [[Josh Hawley]] (R-[[Columbia, Missouri|Columbia]]) and [[Roy Blunt]] (R-[[Strafford, Missouri|Strafford]]).
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Gentry County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Josh Hawley'''
  |votes      = 1,689
  |percentage = 66.31%
  |change     = +24.73
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Claire McCaskill
  |votes      = 734
  |percentage = 28.82%
  |change     = -20.44
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent (United States)
  |candidate  = Craig O'Dear
  |votes      = 58
  |percentage = 2.28%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Japheth Campbell
  |votes      = 44
  |percentage = 1.73%
  |change     = -7.43
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jo Crain
  |votes      = 22
  |percentage = 0.86%
  |change     = +0.86
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Gentry County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Roy Blunt'''
  |votes      = '''1,860'''
  |percentage = '''61.69%'''
  |change     = '''+20.11'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason Kander
  |votes      = 1,025
  |percentage = 34.00%
  |change     = -15.26
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 68
  |percentage = 2.25%
  |change     = -6.91
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Johnathan McFarland
  |votes      = 35
  |percentage = 1.16%
  |change     = +1.16
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Fred Ryman
  |votes      = 27
  |percentage = 0.90%
  |change     = +0.90
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====Political culture====
{{PresHead|place=Gentry 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 25, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,651|616|25|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,581|613|43|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,304|605|134|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,988|937|74|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,964|1,235|93|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,085|1,201|26|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,771|1,271|63|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,361|1,493|437|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,272|1,519|933|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|1,554|1,872|7|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,047|1,600|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,005|1,720|144|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,772|2,249|14|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,984|1,642|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,286|2,189|216|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,677|3,198|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,888|2,439|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,020|2,662|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,429|2,508|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,633|3,410|1|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,970|3,022|8|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,446|3,689|19|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,115|4,173|18|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,877|3,677|9|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,506|2,735|15|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|3,318|3,555|349|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,442|3,374|113|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,823|2,404|81|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,268|2,268|645|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,882|2,236|88|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|2,060|2,157|174|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|2,185|2,459|165|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|2,000|2,906|47|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,607|2,003|638|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|1,623|2,039|205|Missouri}}

At the presidential level, Gentry County is solidly Republican. [[Donald Trump]] carried the county easily in  [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]] and [[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]. [[Bill Clinton]] was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Gentry County in [[1996 United States presidential election|1996]], and no Democrat has won majority support from Gentry County voters since [[Michael Dukakis]] in [[1988 United States presidential election|1988]].

Like most rural areas throughout northwest Missouri, voters in Gentry County generally adhere to socially and culturally [[Conservatism|conservative]] principles which tend to 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 won in Gentry County with 79.9% of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71% support from voters. 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 Gentry County with 58.3% voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51% 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 Gentry 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 Gentry County with 63.3% of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99% voting in favor. (During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.) In 2018, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition A) concerning [[Right to Work|right to work]], the outcome of which ultimately reversed the right to work legislation passed in the state the previous year. 61.82% of Gentry County voters cast their ballots to overturn the law.

===Missouri presidential preference primaries===

====2020====
The 2020 presidential primaries for both the Democratic and Republican parties were held in Missouri on March 10. On the Democratic side, former [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Joe Biden]] (D-[[Delaware]]) both won statewide and carried Gentry County by a wide margin. He went on to defeat [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] in the general election.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Gentry County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Joe Biden'''
  |votes      = '''291'''
  |percentage = '''73.30'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bernie Sanders
  |votes      = 83
  |percentage = 20.91
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Michael Bloomberg
  |votes      = 5
  |percentage = 1.26
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 18
  |percentage = 4.53
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Incumbent [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] (R-[[Florida]]) faced only nominal opposition in the primary and won both Gentry County and statewide by large margins.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Gentry County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donald Trump'''
  |votes      = '''476'''
  |percentage = '''97.94'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 10
  |percentage = 2.06
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====2016====
The 2016 presidential primaries for both the Republican and Democratic parties were held in Missouri on March 15. Businessman [[Donald Trump]] (R-[[New York (state)|New York]]) narrowly won the state overall and carried a plurality of the vote in Gentry County. He went on to win the presidency.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Daviess County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donald Trump'''
  |votes      = '''435'''
  |percentage = '''40.65'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ted Cruz
  |votes      = 405
  |percentage = 37.85
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = John Kasich
  |votes      = 116
  |percentage = 10.84
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Marco Rubio
  |votes      = 69
  |percentage = 6.45
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ben Carson
  |votes      = 22
  |percentage = 2.06
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 23
  |percentage = 2.15
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

On the Democratic side, former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-[[New York (state)|New York]]) both won statewide by a small margin but narrowly lost Gentry County to [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Bernie Sanders]] (I-[[Vermont]]).
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Gentry County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Bernie Sanders'''
  |votes      = '''176'''
  |percentage = '''49.44'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Hillary Clinton
  |votes      = 171
  |percentage = 48.03
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 9
  |percentage = 2.53
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====2012====
The 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary's results were nonbinding on the state's national convention delegates. Voters in Gentry County supported former [[U.S. Senator]] [[Rick Santorum]] (R-[[Pennsylvania]]), who finished first in the state at large, but eventually lost the nomination to former [[Governor of Massachusetts|Governor]] [[Mitt Romney]] (R-[[Massachusetts]]). Delegates to the congressional district and state conventions were chosen at a county caucus, which selected a delegation favoring Santorum. Incumbent [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]] easily won the Missouri Democratic Primary and renomination. He defeated Romney in the general election.

====2008====
In 2008, the Missouri Republican Presidential Primary was closely contested, with [[United States Senator|Senator]] [[John McCain]] (R-[[Arizona]]) prevailing and eventually winning the nomination.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Gentry County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''John McCain'''
  |votes      = '''217'''
  |percentage = '''36.90'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mike Huckabee
  |votes      = 182
  |percentage = 30.95
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mitt Romney
  |votes      = 155
  |percentage = 26.36
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ron Paul
  |votes      = 23
  |percentage = 3.91
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 11
  |percentage = 1.87
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Then-Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-[[New York (state)|New York]]) received more votes than any candidate from either party in Gentry County during the 2008 presidential primary. Despite initial reports that Clinton had won Missouri, [[Barack Obama]] (D-[[Illinois]]), also a Senator at the time, narrowly defeated her statewide and later became that year's Democratic nominee, going on to win the presidency.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Gentry County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Hillary Clinton'''
  |votes      = '''409'''
  |percentage = '''53.32'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barack Obama
  |votes      = 312
  |percentage = 40.68
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 46
  |percentage = 6.00
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

{{clear}}