COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Among many things on the ballot, Missouri voters will decide who they feel will best serve as the state's attorney general in the upcoming election on Nov. 5.
Republican and current Attorney General Andrew Bailey is running for a full term. He was appointed in January 2023 after his predecessor, Eric Schmitt, was voted to the U.S.
Senate. He has also served in Iraq and has previous experience as an assistant prosecutor and with the Missouri Department of Corrections. Bailey's opponent in the race is Democratic candidate Elad Gross.
Gross has previously served as an assistant attorney general for Missouri and volunteered as a special public defender. He has experience as a constitutional and civil rights attorney. To combat crime, both candidates said they will focus on strengthening relationships and supporting local prosecutors and law enforcement.
The difference is Gross plans to focus on violence prevention while Bailey said he will focus on prosecution. "We're going to continue to build those relationships out and find new and innovative ways to hold wrongdoers accountable and ultimately, the number one priority is finding justice for victims," Bailey said. Bailey believes the attorney general's role is to advocate for the rule of law, support law enforcement and get justice for victims, and he intends to work with other elected leaders to address crime at the state level.
He claimed his office increased criminal prosecutions statewide by 133% in one .
