Editing Phelps County, Missouri (section)

===Federal===
{{Sticky header}}
{{PresHead|place=Phelps County, Missouri|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|13,658|5,379|348|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|13,480|5,637|484|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|12,709|4,766|1,238|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|11,895|5,798|593|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|11,706|7,394|424|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|11,874|6,666|160|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|9,444|6,262|440|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|6,990|6,405|1,902|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|6,040|6,852|3,847|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|8,329|5,867|57|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|9,012|5,074|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|7,366|5,470|730|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,153|6,261|98|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,598|3,567|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|5,577|4,211|1,995|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,755|5,776|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|5,663|4,576|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,773|4,761|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|4,694|4,846|14|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|3,053|5,202|22|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|3,180|4,256|13|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,319|4,780|15|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,690|4,658|33|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,794|4,858|68|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,967|2,896|11|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|2,085|2,918|497|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,692|2,422|38|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,487|1,887|49|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|782|1,565|469|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,520|1,804|54|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|1,371|1,384|134|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|1,153|1,603|81|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|1,038|1,816|14|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|883|1,287|216|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|685|1,183|318|Missouri}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Phelps County (2018)<ref name="2018 results" />}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Josh Hawley'''
  |votes      = '''10,124'''
  |percentage = '''62.92%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Claire McCaskill
  |votes      = 5,363
  |percentage = 33.33%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Japheth Campbell
  |votes      = 255
  |percentage = 1.58%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Craig O'Dear
  |votes      = 242
  |percentage = 1.50%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jo Crain
  |votes      = 88
  |percentage = 0.55%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Phelps County (2016)<ref name=MOSOS/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Roy Blunt'''
  |votes      = '''11,063'''
  |percentage = '''59.70%'''
  |change     = '''+11.94'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason Kander
  |votes      = 6,576
  |percentage = 35.48%
  |change     = -9.79
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 533
  |percentage = 2.88%
  |change     = -4.09
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Johnathan Dine
  |votes      = 193
  |percentage = 1.04%
  |change     = +1.04
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Fred Ryman
  |votes      = 167
  |percentage = 0.90%
  |change     = +0.90
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate — Missouri — Phelps County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Todd Akin
  |votes      = 8,579
  |percentage = 47.76%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Claire McCaskill'''
  |votes      = '''8,133'''
  |percentage = '''45.27%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 1,252
  |percentage = 6.97%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}

Phelps County is included in [[MO-08|Missouri's 8th Congressional District]] and is currently represented by [[Jason T. Smith]] (R-[[Salem, Missouri|Salem]]) in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish the remaining term of [[U.S. Representative]] [[Jo Ann Emerson]] (R-[[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]]). Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative.
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Phelps County (2020)<ref name="2020 results" />}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''13,591'''
  |percentage = '''70.23%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 5,302
  |percentage = 27.42%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Tom Schmitz
  |votes      = 456
  |percentage = 2.35%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Phelps County (2018)<ref name="2018 results" />}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''10,977'''
  |percentage = '''68.59%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 4,716
  |percentage = 29.47%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Shell
  |votes      = 302
  |percentage = 1.89%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Phelps County (2016)<ref name=MOSOS/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''13,288'''
  |percentage = '''72.59%'''
  |change     = '''+2.29'''
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Dave Cowell
  |votes      = 4,453
  |percentage = 24.33%
  |change     = -0.27
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Shell
  |votes      = 564
  |percentage = 3.08%
  |change     = +1.26
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Phelps County (2014)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''7,387'''
  |percentage = '''70.30%'''
  |change     = '''-3.69'''
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barbara Stocker
  |votes      = 2,585
  |percentage = 24.60%
  |change     = +0.08
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rick Vandeven
  |votes      = 191
  |percentage = 1.82%
  |change     = +0.79
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Doug Enyart
  |votes      = 133
  |percentage = 1.27%
  |change     = +0.81
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent (politician)
  |candidate  = Terry Hampton
  |votes      = 212
  |percentage = 2.02%
  |change     = +2.02
  }}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Phelps County (Special Election 2013)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason T. Smith'''
  |votes      = '''3,084'''
  |percentage = '''73.99%'''
  |change     = '''+0.40'''
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Steve Hodges
  |votes      = 1,022
  |percentage = 24.52%
  |change     = +1.59
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Slantz
  |votes      = 43
  |percentage = 1.03%
  |change     = -2.45
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Doug Enyart
  |votes      = 19
  |percentage = 0.46%
  |change     = +0.46
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 8th Congressional District — Phelps County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jo Ann Emerson'''
  |votes      = '''13,142'''
  |percentage = '''73.59%'''
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jack Rushin
  |votes      = 4,095
  |percentage = 22.93%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rick Vandeven
  |votes      = 622
  |percentage = 3.48%
  |change     =
  }}
{{Election box end}}

====Political culture====
At the presidential level, Phelps County is a fairly Republican-leaning county despite containing a relatively large university. [[George W. Bush]] easily carried Phelps County in [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]] and [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]. [[Bill Clinton]] was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Phelps County in [[1992 United States presidential election|1992]], and like many of the rural counties throughout Missouri, Phelps County favored [[John McCain]] over [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]. It moved even further to the Right when it voted at record numbers for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. Trump received the most votes any candidate ever has, in Phelps county—for President—in 2020, and took 68% of the vote. In 2024, Trump became the first Republican in history to achieve over 70% of the vote, something that only one person had achieved before, that being [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] during his overwhelming landslide in 1932.

Like most rural areas throughout central Missouri, voters in Phelps 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 Phelps County with 77.94 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 Phelps County with 52.25 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 Phelps 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 Phelps County with 69.42 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.