Hard-right Missouri state senator launches Republican campaign for secretary of state

A hard-right Missouri state senator on Tuesday launched a campaign for secretary of state, becoming the second Republican to enter the race to succeed Jay Ashcroft as the state’s top election official.

State Sen. Denny Hoskins, a term-limited Republican from Warrensburg, in his campaign announcement Tuesday vowed to “get government bureaucrats out of the way.” Hoskins, a vocal member of the state Senate, is expected to run a campaign appealing to the right wing of the Republican Party.

He will face Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller in the Republican primary.

“We need someone in the Secretary of State’s office who will fight for Missouri and stand up to ensure the integrity of our election system,” Hoskins said in a statement. “I am proud to have supported legislation to protect Missourians from voter fraud and make our state’s elections among the most transparent in the nation.”

Hoskins’ comments echo debunked theories about the prevalence of voter fraud. Missouri’s elections have regularly been touted, even among conservative groups, as secure.

Ashcroft, the Republican who currently holds the office, is running for governor in 2024. The position of secretary of state serves as Missouri’s top election official, ensuring elections are run on time and business filings get done. It also is in charge of administering emergency rules and overseeing the state library.

Hoskins served in the Missouri House from 2009 to 2016 before being elected to the state Senate in 2016. In the Senate, Hoskins was a member of a now-defunct group of Republican senators that regularly sparred with the more moderate GOP leadership and ground the Senate to a halt for the better part of two years.

Over the last few years, the Warrensburg Republican has perhaps been best known as one of the major roadblocks to legalized sports betting in Missouri. Hoskins, who has filed bills to legalize sports betting, has also filibustered against the legislation, insisting that any sports betting bill also legalize and tax casino-like slot machines that have popped up in gas stations, fraternal clubs and bars.

Hoskins, an accountant, on Tuesday said he would make it a priority to streamline the process for businesses to file with the state. He said he would “reduce the burden of paperwork that can all too often trip up small businesses.”

A graduate of the University of Central Missouri, Hoskins also served in the Missouri Army National Guard. He and his wife Michelle attend the non-denominational Northside Christian Church in Warrensburg.