Editing Cape Girardeau County, Missouri (section)

==Politics==

===Local===
Since the late 20th century voters at the local level have switched from the Democratic Party to the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], which is now predominant in Cape Girardeau County. Republicans hold all of the elected positions in the county.

{{Missouri county elected officials
| name              =Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
| assessor          =Robert Adams
| assessorparty     =Republican
| auditor           =Pete Frazier
| auditorparty      =Republican
| circuitclerk      =Charlene Biester
| circuitclerkparty =Republican 
| countyclerk       =Kara Clark Summers
| countyclerkparty  =Republican
| presiding         =Clint Tracy
| presidingparty    =Republican
| district1         =Paul Koeper
| district1party    =Republican
| district2         =Charles J. Herbst III
| district2party    =Republican
| collector         =Barbara Gholson
| collectorparty    =Republican
| coroner           =Wavis Jordan
| coronerparty      =Republican
| prosecutor        =Mark Welker
| prosecutorparty   =Republican
| administrator     =Lisa Reitzel
| administratorparty=Republican
| recorder          =Drew Blattner
| recorderparty     =Republican
| sheriff           =Ruth Ann Dickerson
| sheriffparty      =Republican
| treasurer         =Roger L. Hudson
| 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"|'''74.25%''' ''29,523''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|23.65% ''9,405''
|align="center" |2.10% ''834''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020|2020]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''72.53%''' ''29,127''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|25.58% ''10,272''
|align="center" |1.90% ''762''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016|2016]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''65.70%''' ''24,209''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|31.31% ''11,539''
|align="center" |2.99% ''1,101''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012|2012]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.02%''' ''19,797''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|41.56% ''14,686''
|align="center" |2.43% ''857''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.23%''' ''20,672''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|41.75% ''15,348''
|align="center" |2.02% ''744''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''65.26%''' ''22,433''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.49% ''11,511''
|align="center" |1.25% ''429''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''62.50%''' ''18,543''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|35.36% ''10,491''
|align="center" |2.14% ''635''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''49.68%''' ''13,781''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|48.38% ''13,422''
|align="center" |1.94% ''538''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1992|1992]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''54.41%''' ''15,080''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|45.59% ''12,636''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1988|1988]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''70.08%''' ''17,336''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|29.50% ''7,298''
|align="center" |0.42% ''104''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1984|1984]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''70.39%''' ''17,299''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|29.61% ''7,276''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1980|1980]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''66.50%''' ''16,197''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.11% ''8,064''
|align="center" |0.39% ''96''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1976|1976]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.62%''' ''13,079''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|43.35% ''10,013''
|align="center" |0.03% ''7''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1972|1972]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''57.09%''' ''12,656''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|42.05% ''9,322''
|align="center" |0.85% ''189''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1968|1968]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|37.96% ''7,217''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''62.04%''' ''11,795''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1964|1964]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|42.74% ''8,506''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''57.26%''' ''11,396''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1960|1960]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|49.07% ''9,384''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''50.93%''' ''9,739''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|}

In the [[Missouri House of Representatives]], Cape Girardeau County is divided into two legislative districts, both of which are represented by [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]].

*District 146 – Consists of most of the entire county outside of the city of [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]], although a small portion of the northern edge of the city is included in this district. The district also takes in all of the city of [[Jackson, Missouri|Jackson]] as well as the communities of [[Pocahontas, Missouri|Pocahontas]], [[Oak Ridge, Missouri|Oak Ridge]], [[Old Appleton, Missouri|Old Appleton]], [[Gordonville, Missouri|Gordonville]], [[Dutchtown, Missouri|Dutchtown]], [[Delta, Missouri|Delta]], [[Allenville, Missouri|Allenville]], and [[Whitewater, Missouri|Whitewater]]. It is currently represented by [https://www.house.mo.gov/MemberDetails.aspx?year=2021&code=R&district=146 Barry Hovis] (R-[[Whitewater, Missouri|Whitewater]]).
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 146 – Cape Girardeau County (2020)<ref name=electionresults>{{cite web |title=Cape Girardeau County Election Results |url=https://www.capecounty.us/cape-girardeau-county-clerk/election-results/ |access-date=June 29, 2022}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Barry Hovis'''
  |votes      = '''21,012'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     = '''+18.11'''
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 146 – Cape Girardeau County (2018)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Barry Hovis'''
  |votes      = '''15,289'''
  |percentage = '''81.89%'''
  |change     = '''-18.11'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Gayla Dace
  |votes      = 3,381
  |percentage = 18.11%
  |change     = +18.11
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 146 – Cape Girardeau County (2016)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donna Lichtenegger'''
  |votes      = '''18,530'''
  |percentage = '''98.12%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 146 – Cape Girardeau County (2014)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donna Lichtenegger'''
  |votes      = '''7,933'''
  |percentage = '''98.34%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 146 – Cape Girardeau County (2012)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donna Lichtenegger'''
  |votes      = '''16,824'''
  |percentage = '''98.37%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
*District 147 – Consists of most of the city of [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]] and a small sliver of the mostly rural stretch of Highway 74 to [[Dutchtown, Missouri|Dutchtown]]. The seat is currently vacant after Wallingford resigned in January 2022.  
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 147 – Cape Girardeau County (2020)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Wayne Wallingford'''
  |votes      = '''10,167'''
  |percentage = '''63.14%'''
  |change     = '''-1.64'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Andy Leighton
  |votes      = 5,935
  |percentage = 36.86%
  |change     = +1.64
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 147 – Cape Girardeau County (2018)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kathy Swan'''
  |votes      = '''8,616'''
  |percentage = '''64.78%'''
  |change     = '''-8.88'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Renita Green
  |votes      = 4,685
  |percentage = 35.22%
  |change     = +8.88
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 147 – Cape Girardeau County (2016)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kathy Swan'''
  |votes      = '''10,575'''
  |percentage = '''73.15%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Greg Tlapek
  |votes      = 3,782
  |percentage = 26.16%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 147 – Cape Girardeau County (2014)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kathy Swan'''
  |votes      = '''5,214'''
  |percentage = '''69.37%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Gary Gaines
  |votes      = 1,676
  |percentage = 22.30%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Greg Tlapek
  |votes      = 615
  |percentage = 8.18%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives – District 147 – Cape Girardeau County (2012)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Kathy Swan'''
  |votes      = '''12,546'''
  |percentage = '''97.30%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
In the [[Missouri Senate]], all of Cape Girardeau County is a part of Missouri's 27h District and is currently represented by [https://www.senate.mo.gov/mem27/ Holly Thompson Rehder] (R-[[Sikeston, Missouri|Sikeston]].
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Cape Girardeau County (2020)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Holly Rehder'''
  |votes      = '''28,941'''
  |percentage = '''73.58%'''
  |change     = '''-2.01'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Donnie Owens
  |votes      = 10,391
  |percentage = 26.42%
  |change     = +2.01
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Cape Girardeau County (2016)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Wayne Wallingford'''
  |votes      = '''27,062'''
  |percentage = '''75.59%'''
  |change     = ''' '''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Donnie Owens
  |votes      = 8,739
  |percentage = 24.41%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 27 – Cape Girardeau County (2012)<ref name=electionresults/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Wayne Wallingford'''
  |votes      = '''29,734'''
  |percentage = '''98.09%'''
  |change     = ''' '''
  }}
{{Election box end}}

===Federal===
All of Cape Girardeau County is included in [[MO-08|Missouri's 8th Congressional District]] and is currently represented by [[Jason Smith (American politician)|Jason Smith]] (R-[[Salem, Missouri|Salem]]) in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. Smith was elected to a fifth term in [[2020 United States House of Representatives elections|2020]] over Democratic challenger Kathy Ellis.
{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 8th Congressional District – Cape Girardeau County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason Smith'''
  |votes      = '''29,028'''
  |percentage = '''72.93%'''
  |change     = '''-0.54'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 10,036
  |percentage = 25.21%
  |change     = +0.25
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Tom Schmitz
  |votes      = 739
  |percentage = 1.86%
  |change     = +0.29
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri's 8th Congressional District – Cape Girardeau County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason Smith'''
  |votes      = '''23,687'''
  |percentage = '''73.47%'''
  |change     = '''-0.94'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 8,048
  |percentage = 24.96%
  |change     = +2.66
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan L. Shell
  |votes      = 505
  |percentage = 1.57%
  |change     = -1.72
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Cape Girardeau 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 – Cape Girardeau County (2018)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Josh Hawley'''
  |votes      = '''22,964'''
  |percentage = '''70.65%'''
  |change     = '''+16.98'''
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Claire McCaskill
  |votes      = 8,886
  |percentage = 27.34%
  |change     = -13.49
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Japheth Campbell
  |votes      = 307
  |percentage = 0.95%
  |change     = -4.55
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent (politician)
  |candidate  = Craig O'Dear
  |votes      = 232
  |percentage = 0.71%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jo Crain
  |votes      = 114
  |percentage = 0.35%
  |change     = +0.35
}}
{{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 - Cape Girardeau County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Roy Blunt'''
  |votes      = '''24,173'''
  |percentage = '''65.66%'''
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason Kander
  |votes      = 11,219
  |percentage = 30.47%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 863
  |percentage = 2.34%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Johnathan McFarland
  |votes      = 289
  |percentage = 0.79%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Fred Ryman
  |votes      = 268
  |percentage = 0.73%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

====Political culture====
{{PresHead|place=Cape Girardeau 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 24, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|29,315|10,561|661|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|28,907|10,760|759|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|27,017|8,492|1,802|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|25,370|9,728|731|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|24,768|12,208|470|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|23,814|10,568|183|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|19,832|9,334|693|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|15,557|9,957|2,108|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|13,464|9,605|5,286|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|16,583|7,904|69|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|17,404|7,346|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|14,861|8,625|1,063|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|12,607|10,440|117|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|15,693|6,280|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|10,298|6,656|2,351|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|8,776|11,431|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|11,331|8,172|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|10,638|7,633|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|10,729|7,933|22|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|7,084|7,872|15|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|8,339|6,845|11|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|9,297|8,642|39|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|7,374|8,892|64|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|5,796|8,394|117|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|7,344|5,464|21|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|6,076|4,967|623|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|7,537|4,584|152|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|3,753|2,993|127|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|2,203|2,587|1,064|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|3,381|2,621|89|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,090|2,187|210|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|2,778|2,318|187|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|2,482|2,473|49|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|2,203|1,996|407|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|2,198|1,894|216|Missouri}}

Cape Girardeau County is something of an outlier in southern Missouri. Unusually for a rural [[Southern United States|Southern]] county (straddling the [[Mississippi embayment]]), it has generally voted Republican since the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], this was due to Unionist sentiment in the county. In contrast, much of southern Missouri was solidly Democratic for much of the 20th century before swinging heavily Republican at the turn of the millennium.

After voting for Lincoln in 1864 and Grant in 1868, Cape Girardeau County voted Democratic four times in a row. Since 1888, it has voted Democratic only in Franklin Roosevelt's and Lyndon Johnson's 40-state landslides of 1932, 1936, and 1964; in the three-way race in 1912 (when it gave Woodrow Wilson a plurality); and for Missouri native Harry Truman in 1948. Unlike most demographically similar counties, it rejected [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976; Carter is the last Democrat to manage even 40 percent of the county's vote.<ref>{{Cite web|title=County winners, 1836-2016|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZmDRzvm83BYurKX7LsrET-C7tcIsE5Em42Wt-gTydXk/edit?usp=embed_facebook|access-date=January 16, 2021|website=Google Docs|language=en-US}}</ref>

Like most areas throughout rural Missouri, voters in Cape Girardeau County generally adhere to socially and culturally [[Conservatism|conservative]] principles which have influenced their shift to Republicans. 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 Cape Girardeau County with 83.19 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support, as Missouri became the first state to ban [[same-sex marriage]]. In 2006, Cape Girardeau County voted against a state [[Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)|constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research]], with 63.12 percent opposed. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support, and Missouri became one of the first states to approve such research. Cape Girardeau County's voters have supported such [[Populism|populist]] causes as increasing the [[minimum wage]]. In 2006, Cape Girardeau County voted to increase the minimum wage to $6.50 an hour with 60.04 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every county in Missouri, with 75.94 percent voting in favor. (During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.)

===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 Cape Girardeau County by a wide margin. Biden went on to defeat [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] in the general election.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Cape Girardeau County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Joe Biden'''
  |votes      = '''3,030'''
  |percentage = '''56.54'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bernie Sanders
  |votes      = 2,064
  |percentage = 38.52
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Tulsi Gabbard
  |votes      = 50
  |percentage = 0.93
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 215
  |percentage = 4.01
  |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 Cape Girardeau County and statewide by overwhelming margins.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Cape Girardeau County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Donald Trump'''
  |votes      = '''5,277'''
  |percentage = '''98.05'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Weld
  |votes      = 21
  |percentage = 0.39
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 84
  |percentage = 1.56
  |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, but [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Ted Cruz]] (R-[[Texas]]) carried a plurality of the vote in Cape Girardeau County. Trump went on to win the nomination and the presidency.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Cape Girardeau County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Ted Cruz'''
  |votes      = '''7,404'''
  |percentage = '''46.61'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Donald Trump
  |votes      = 6,192
  |percentage = 38.98
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = John Kasich
  |votes      = 1,257
  |percentage = 7.91
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Marco Rubio
  |votes      = 701
  |percentage = 4.41
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 330
  |percentage = 2.08
  |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 a majority of the vote in Cape Girardeau County.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Cape Girardeau County (2016)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Bernie Sanders'''
  |votes      = '''2,375'''
  |percentage = '''52.36'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Hillary Clinton
  |votes      = 2,116
  |percentage = 46.65
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 45
  |percentage = 0.99
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====2012====
The 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary's results were nonbinding on the state's national convention delegates. Voters in Cape Girardeau 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. However, former [[Governor of Massachusetts|Governor]] [[Mitt Romney]] (R-[[Massachusetts]]) won a plurality in Cape Girardeau County.
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Cape Girardeau County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Mitt Romney'''
  |votes      = '''3,922'''
  |percentage = '''35.32'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = John McCain
  |votes      = 3,528
  |percentage = 31.77
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Mike Huckabee
  |votes      = 3,068
  |percentage = 27.63
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Ron Paul
  |votes      = 361
  |percentage = 3.25
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 226
  |percentage = 2.04
  |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 Cape Girardeau 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 – Cape Girardeau County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Hillary Clinton'''
  |votes      = '''4,510'''
  |percentage = '''56.55'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barack Obama
  |votes      = 3,145
  |percentage = 39.44
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Others/Uncommitted
  |votes      = 320
  |percentage = 4.02
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}