Editing Dent County, Missouri (section)

==Politics==
===Local===
The [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] holds a majority of elected offices in the county, as nine of the county's 14 elected officials, including the county's three commissioners, are all [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]s; .

On July 13, 2015, the county commissioners, Darrell Skiles (R), Dennis Purcell (R), and Gary Larson (R) voted unanimously to lower all flags to half staff every month on the 26th for a year to protest the Supreme Court decision regarding same sex marriage rights.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/missouri-county-to-fly-flags-at-half-mast-to-mourn-supreme-courts-despicable-marriage-ruling/|title=Missouri county to fly flags at half-mast to mourn Supreme Court's 'despicable' marriage ruling|date=July 14, 2015|work=Raw Story|access-date=July 17, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

On July 14, 2015, the county commissioners reversed their decision to lower the flag citing improper flag protocol concerns.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/missouri-gay-marriage_us_55a55ca8e4b0896514cf7aab|title=Missouri County Cancels 'Mourning' For Gay Marriage After Citizens Protest|last=Fang|first=Marina|date=July 14, 2015|work=Huffington Post|access-date=March 25, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

{{Missouri county elected officials
| name              =Dent County, Missouri 
| assessor          =Tina Whitaker
| assessorparty     =Democratic
| circuitclerk      =Becky Goforth Swiney
| circuitclerkparty =Democratic
| countyclerk       =Angie Curley
| countyclerkparty  =Democratic
| presiding         =Darrell Skiles
| presidingparty    =Republican
| district1         =Dennis Purcell
| district1party    =Republican
| district2         =Gary Larson
| district2party    =Republican
| collector         =Shannon VanKirk
| collectorparty    =Republican
| coroner           =Gina White
| coronerparty      =Democratic
| prosecutor        =Andrew Curley
| prosecutorparty   =Republican
| administrator     =Sherida Cook
| administratorparty=Republican
| recorder          =Cindy Ard
| recorderparty     =Republican
| sheriff           =Bob Wells
| sheriffparty      =Republican
| surveyor          =Craig Ruble
| surveyorparty     =Democratic
| treasurer         =Denita Williams
| 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"|'''83.38%''' ''5,851''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|14.48% ''1,016''
|align="center" |2.14% ''150''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020|2020]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''81.09%''' ''5,768''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|16.04% ''1,141''
|align="center" |2.87% ''204''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016|2016]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''73.05%''' ''4,967''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|24.05% ''1,635''
|align="center" |2.90% ''197''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012|2012]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''54.20%''' ''3,595''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|42.56% ''2,823''
|align="center" |3.24% ''215''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|44.71% ''3,055''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''52.44%''' ''3,583''
|align="center" |2.85% ''195''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''65.18%''' ''4,122''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.08% ''2,092''
|align="center" |1.84% ''110''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''57.39%''' ''3,403''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|40.49% ''2,401''
|align="center" |2.12% ''126''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|43.87% ''2,445''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''53.54%''' ''2,984''
|align="center" |2.59% ''144''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1992|1992]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|44.33% ''2,582''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''55.67%''' ''3,242''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1988|1988]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''63.56%''' ''3,438''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|35.72% ''1,932''
|align="center" |0.72% ''39''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1984|1984]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''59.58%''' ''3,580''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|40.42% ''2,429''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1980|1980]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''52.30%''' ''3,198''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|47.56% ''2,908''
|align="center" |0.15% ''9''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1976|1976]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|48.13% ''2,597''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''51.82%''' ''2,796''
|align="center" |0.06% ''3''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1972|1972]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''54.54%''' ''2,632''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|45.36% ''2,189''
|align="center" |0.01% ''5''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1968|1968]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|45.69% ''2,025''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''54.31%''' ''2,407''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1964|1964]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|40.11% ''1,847''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''59.89%''' ''2,758''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1960|1960]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|43.12% ''2,487''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''56.88%''' ''3,820''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|}

In the [[Missouri House of Representatives]], all of Dent County is a part of Missouri's 143rd District and is currently represented by Jeff Pogue (R- [[Salem, Missouri|Salem]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?year=2017&district=143|title=Missouri House of Representatives|website=house.mo.gov|access-date=July 17, 2018}}</ref>
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 143 — Dent County (2016)<ref name=MOSOS>{{cite web|title= County Results - State of Missouri - 2016 General Election - November 8, 2016 - Official Results|publisher=Missouri Secretary of State| url=http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?year=2017&district=143|date=December 12, 2016|access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jeff Pogue'''
  |votes      = '''5,863'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 143 — Dent County (2014)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jeff Pogue'''
  |votes      = '''3,430'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     = '''+24.36'''
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri House of Representatives — District 143 — Dent County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jeff Pogue'''
  |votes      = '''4,964'''
  |percentage = '''75.64%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Shane Van Steenis
  |votes      = 1,599
  |percentage = 24.36%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}

In the [[Missouri Senate]], all of Dent County is a part of Missouri's 16th District and is currently represented by [http://www.senate.mo.gov/mem16/ Dan W. Brown] (R- [[Rolla, Missouri|Rolla]]).
{{Election box begin|title=Missouri Senate — District 16 — Dent County (2014)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Dan Brown'''
  |votes      = '''3,297'''
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}

===Federal===
Missouri's two [[U.S. senator]]s are [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] [[Josh Hawley]] and [[Eric Schmitt]].
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Dent County (2016)<ref name=MOSOS/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Roy Blunt'''
  |votes      = '''4,653'''
  |percentage = '''68.76%'''
  |change     = '''+15.54'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason Kander
  |votes      = 1,795
  |percentage = 26.53%
  |change     = -12.37
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 167
  |percentage = 2.47%
  |change     = -5.41
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Johnathan McFarland
  |votes      = 88
  |percentage = 1.30%
  |change     = +1.30
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Fred Ryman
  |votes      = 61
  |percentage = 0.90%
  |change     = +0.90
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Write-in candidate
  |candidate  = Gina Bufe
  |votes      = 3
  |percentage = 0.04%
  |change     = +0.04
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Dent County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Todd Akin
  |votes      = 3,499
  |percentage = 53.22%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Claire McCaskill'''
  |votes      = '''2,558'''
  |percentage = '''38.90%'''
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 518
  |percentage = 7.88%
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box end}}

All of Dent County is included in [[Missouri's 8th congressional district]] and is currently represented by [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Jason T. Smith]] of [[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 complete the remaining term of former [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[U.S. Representative]] [[Jo Ann Emerson]] of [[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 — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Dent County (2016)<ref name=MOSOS/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''5,687'''
  |percentage = '''84.23%'''
  |change     = '''+0.51'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Dave Cowell
  |votes      = 923
  |percentage = 13.67%
  |change     = +0.74
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Shell
  |votes      = 142
  |percentage = 2.10%
  |change     = +1.01
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Dent County (2014)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''3,445'''
  |percentage = '''83.72%'''
  |change     = '''-2.41%'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barbara Stocker
  |votes      = 532
  |percentage = 12.93%
  |change     = +0.25
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rick Vandeven
  |votes      = 45
  |percentage = 1.09%
  |change     = +0.51
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Doug Enyart
  |votes      = 36
  |percentage = 0.87%
  |change     = +0.87
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent (politician)
  |candidate  = Terry Hampton
  |votes      = 57
  |percentage = 1.39%
  |change     = +1.39
  }}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Dent County (Special Election 2013)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''2,385'''
  |percentage = '''86.13%'''
  |change     = '''+7.62'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Steve Hodges
  |votes      = 351
  |percentage = 12.68%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Slantz
  |votes      = 16
  |percentage = 0.58%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Doug Enyart
  |votes      = 17
  |percentage = 0.61%
  |change     = +0.61
  }} 
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Dent County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jo Ann Emerson'''
  |votes      = '''5,151'''
  |percentage = '''78.51%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jack Rushin
  |votes      = 1,213
  |percentage = 18.49%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rick Vandeven
  |votes      = 197
  |percentage = 3.00%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====Political culture====
{{PresHead|place=Dent 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|6,013|1,025|65|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,987|1,056|99|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,600|978|213|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,883|1,585|203|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,655|2,056|157|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,369|1,865|70|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,996|1,839|153|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,542|2,234|762|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,125|2,689|1,063|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,975|2,421|21|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,490|2,544|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,477|2,528|126|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,433|2,931|37|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,024|1,710|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,369|1,810|469|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,788|2,860|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,212|2,593|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,658|2,961|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,755|2,738|4|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,003|2,973|14|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,456|2,699|7|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,652|3,101|13|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,313|3,168|33|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,701|3,293|23|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,367|1,871|28|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,779|2,263|111|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,204|1,970|90|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,252|1,457|74|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|959|1,280|252|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,290|1,330|43|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|1,154|1,186|35|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|1,085|1,419|36|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|1,097|1,493|8|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|896|1,268|33|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|957|1,172|71|Missouri}}
Dent County is, like most rural counties, conservative and often solidly supports [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]s at the presidential level. [[Bill Clinton]] was the last [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] presidential nominee to win Dent County in 1992; he lost the county during his 1996 reelection bid, and since then, voters in Dent County have strongly backed Republicans.

Like most rural areas throughout Southeast Missouri, voters in Dent 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 passed Dent County with 85.93 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 Dent County with 66.49 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 Dent 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 Dent County with 69.70 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99 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. In 2015, Dent County commissioners voted to officially mourn the US Supreme Court ruling which legalized same-sex marriage. The flags at the Dent County Courthouse and the Judicial Building were to be lowered to below half-staff on the 26th of each month for a year. However, after encountering criticism from supporters, the commissioners reversed their decision.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/about-face-dent-county-commissioners-nix-mourning-of-same-sex/article_58fa8323-1a20-5485-94e2-d932b8511483.html|title=Rural Missouri county won't lower courthouse flag after all|last=Moore|first=Doug|work=stltoday.com|access-date=March 25, 2018|language=en}}</ref>