Editing Livingston County, Missouri (section)

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

===Local===
The [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] predominantly controls politics at the local level in Livingston County. Republicans hold a majority of the elected positions in the county.

{{Missouri county elected officials
| name              =Livingston County, Missouri
| assessor          =Steve Ripley
| assessorparty     =Democratic
| circuitclerk      =Jane Gann
| circuitclerkparty =Republican
| countyclerk       =Sherry Parks
| countyclerkparty  =Democratic
| presiding         =Ed Douglas
| presidingparty    =Republican
| district1         =Alvin Thompson
| district1party    =Republican
| district2         =Dave Mapel
| district2party    =Republican
| collector         =Diana Havens
| collectorparty    =Republican
| coroner           =J. Scott Lindley
| coronerparty      =Democratic
| prosecutor        =Adam L. Warren
| prosecutorparty   =Republican
| administrator     =Geri Curtis
| administratorparty=Republican
| recorder          =Amy Baker
| recorderparty     =Democratic
| sheriff           =Steve Cox
| sheriffparty      =Republican
| surveyor          =Vacant
| surveyorparty     =
| treasurer         =Diana Havens
| treasurerparty    =Republican
}}

===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]]
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2024 Missouri gubernatorial election|2024]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''78.76%''' ''5,295''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|19.57% ''1,316''
|align="center" |1.67% ''112''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020|2020]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''78.37%''' ''5,258''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|19.85% ''1,332''
|align="center" |1.77% ''119''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016|2016]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''66.09%''' ''4,189''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|31.43% ''1,992''
|align="center" |2.48% ''157''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012|2012]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''48.72%''' ''2,922''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|48.46% ''2,906''
|align="center" |2.82% ''169''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|43.74% ''2,830''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''54.40%''' ''3,520''
|align="center" |1.86% ''120''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''58.25%''' ''3,680''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|40.84% ''2,580''
|align="center" |0.92% ''58''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''51.99%''' ''3,236''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|46.16% ''2,873''
|align="center" |1.85% ''115''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|29.66% ''1,798''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''68.54%''' ''4,155''
|align="center" |1.80% ''109''
|}

All of Livingston County is a part of Missouri's 7th District in the [[Missouri House of Representatives]] and is currently represented by [http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?year=2017&district=007 Rusty Black] (R-[[Chillicothe, Missouri|Chillicothe]]).
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 7 — Livingston County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Rusty Black'''
  |votes      = '''6,152'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     = '''+16.86'''
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 7 — Livingston County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Rusty Black'''
  |votes      = '''4,274'''
  |percentage = '''83.14%'''
  |change     = '''-16.86'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Dennis VanDyke
  |votes      = 867
  |percentage = 16.86%
  |change     = +16.86
  }}
{{Election box end}}

All of Livingston County is a part of Missouri's 21st District in the [[Missouri Senate]] and is currently represented by [http://www.senate.mo.gov/mem21/ Denny Hoskins] (R-[[Warrensburg, Missouri|Warrensburg]]). 
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri Senate — District 21 — Livingston County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Denny Hoskins'''
  |votes      = '''5,566'''
  |percentage = '''88.45%'''
  |change     = '''+12.68'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mark Bliss
  |votes      = 727
  |percentage = 11.55%
  |change     = +7.00
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri Senate — District 21 — Livingston County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Denny Hoskins'''
  |votes      = '''4,575'''
  |percentage = '''75.77%'''
  |change     = '''+7.67'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = ElGene Ver Dught
  |votes      = 1,188
  |percentage = 19.68%
  |change     = -7.92
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Wayne
  |votes      = 275
  |percentage = 4.55%
  |change     = +0.25
  }}
{{Election box end}}

===Federal===
All of Livingston 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 – Livingston County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Sam Graves'''
  |votes      = '''5,536'''
  |percentage = '''83.05%'''
  |change     = +3.44
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Gena L. Ross
  |votes      = 1,040
  |percentage = 15.60%
  |change     = -3.11
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jim Higgins
  |votes      = 90
  |percentage = 1.35%
  |change     = -0.34
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri's 6th Congressional District – Livingston County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Sam Graves'''
  |votes      = '''4,107'''
  |percentage = '''79.61%'''
  |change     = '''+0.05'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Henry Robert Martin
  |votes      = 965
  |percentage = 18.71%
  |change     = +0.98
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Dan Hogan
  |votes      = 87
  |percentage = 1.69%
  |change     = -0.13
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Livingston 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 – Class I – Livingston County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Josh Hawley'''
  |votes      = '''3,565'''
  |percentage = '''68.72%'''
  |change     = '''+25.19'''
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Claire McCaskill
  |votes      = 1,445
  |percentage = 27.85%
  |change     = -20.47
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent (politician)
  |candidate  = Craig O'Dear
  |votes      = 80
  |percentage = 1.54%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Japheth Campbell
  |votes      = 72
  |percentage = 1.39%
  |change     = -6.76
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jo Crain
  |votes      = 26
  |percentage = 0.50%
  |change     = +0.50
}}
{{Election box end}}

Blunt was elected to a second term in [[2016 United States Senate elections|2016]] over then-Missouri Secretary of State [[Jason Kander]].
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Class III — Livingston County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Roy Blunt'''
  |votes      = '''3,834'''
  |percentage = '''60.41%'''
  |change     = '''+16.88'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason Kander
  |votes      = 2,208
  |percentage = 34.79%
  |change     = -13.53
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 158
  |percentage = 2.49%
  |change     = -5.66
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Johnathan McFarland
  |votes      = 76
  |percentage = 1.20%
  |change     = +1.20
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Fred Ryman
  |votes      = 71
  |percentage = 1.12%
  |change     = +1.12
  }}
{{Election box end}}

===Political Culture===
{{PresHead|place=Livingston 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|5,395|1,422|56|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,267|1,410|81|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,879|1,265|277|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,006|1,906|142|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,993|2,435|124|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,029|2,278|39|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,709|2,425|142|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,384|2,913|833|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,370|2,505|1,988|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,462|3,077|8|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,090|2,699|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,654|3,368|248|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,010|3,819|28|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,253|2,662|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,827|3,467|518|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,703|5,320|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|5,045|3,795|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|5,165|3,785|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|5,594|3,757|8|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|3,835|4,182|14|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|4,697|3,887|26|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|5,298|4,633|25|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|4,678|5,226|40|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,659|4,742|30|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,742|3,221|17|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|4,517|4,316|155|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|5,093|3,666|97|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,424|2,609|76|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|885|2,314|1,618|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|2,400|2,379|127|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|2,480|2,356|320|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|2,493|2,659|350|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|2,377|3,351|69|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,958|2,190|871|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|2,031|2,082|640|Missouri}}

At the presidential level, Livingston County has become solidly Republican in recent years. [[Bill Clinton]] was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Livingston County in [[1996 United States presidential election|1996]] with a plurality of the vote, and a Democrat hasn't won majority support from the county's voters in a presidential election since [[Jimmy Carter]] in [[1976 United States presidential election|1976]].

Like most rural areas throughout northern Missouri, voters in Livingston County generally adhere to socially and culturally [[Conservatism|conservative]] principles which tend to influence their Republican leanings, at least on the state and national levels. Despite support for socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing [[Populism|populist]] causes. 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. 67.72% of Livingston 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 Livingston County by a wide margin. Biden went on to defeat Trump in the general election.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Joe Biden'''
  |votes      = '''583'''
  |percentage = '''68.83'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bernie Sanders
  |votes      = 202
  |percentage = 23.85
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Tulsi Gabbard
  |votes      = 11
  |percentage = 1.30
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 51
  |percentage = 6.02
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Incumbent [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] (R-[[Florida]]) faced a primary challenge from former [[Governor of Massachusetts|Massachusetts Governor]] [[Bill Weld]], but won both Livingston County and statewide by large margins.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donald Trump'''
  |votes      = '''875'''
  |percentage = '''97.66'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Weld
  |votes      = 5
  |percentage = 0.56
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 16
  |percentage = 1.79
  |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 won a plurality of the vote in Livingston County. He went on to win the presidency.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donald Trump'''
  |votes      = '''1,191'''
  |percentage = '''46.06'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ted Cruz
  |votes      = 886
  |percentage = 34.26
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = John Kasich
  |votes      = 261
  |percentage = 10.09
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Marco Rubio
  |votes      = 150
  |percentage = 5.80
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 98
  |percentage = 3.79
  |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]]) narrowly won statewide, but [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Bernie Sanders]] (I-[[Vermont]]) carried Livingston County by a single vote.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Bernie Sanders'''
  |votes      = '''398'''
  |percentage = '''48.60'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Hillary Clinton
  |votes      = 397
  |percentage = 48.47
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 24
  |percentage = 2.93
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====2012====
The 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary's results were nonbinding on the state's national convention delegates. Voters in Livingston 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 former [[United States Speaker of the House of Representatives|U.S. House Speaker]] [[Newt Gingrich]]. 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 – Livingston County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''John McCain'''
  |votes      = '''488'''
  |percentage = '''38.88'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mike Huckabee
  |votes      = 426
  |percentage = 33.94
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mitt Romney
  |votes      = 248
  |percentage = 19.76
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ron Paul
  |votes      = 75
  |percentage = 5.98
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 18
  |percentage = 1.44
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Then-[[United States Senator|Senator]] [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-[[New York (state)|New York]]) received more votes than any candidate from either party in Livingston County during the 2008 presidential primary. Despite initial reports that Clinton had won Missouri, [[Barack Obama]] (D-[[Illinois]]), also a [[United States Senator|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 – Livingston County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Hillary Clinton'''
  |votes      = '''948'''
  |percentage = '''59.85'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barack Obama
  |votes      = 550
  |percentage = 34.72
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 86
  |percentage = 5.43
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}