United States | State government

Kansas and Missouri, both alike, indignity

Two midwestern governors have some trouble governing

Greitens, contritens
|CHICAGO
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ONE is struggling to stay in his job, the other is scrambling to leave it. Eric Greitens, the Republican governor of Missouri, is fighting for his political life after a television station in St Louis revealed an extramarital affair, as well as allegations of blackmail and violence, less than three hours after he gave his state-of-the-state address on January 10th. Sam Brownback, another Republican, announced six months ago that he was stepping down as governor of Kansas to become President Donald Trump’s ambassador-at-large for religious freedom, but his nomination has not yet been confirmed by the Senate and so he has remained as governor. Both are in an embarrassing limbo.

For Mr Greitens, the uncertainty over his political future is more painful because he was just starting out in politics. The 43-year-old former Navy SEAL, Rhodes scholar and White House fellow, who had never before run for office, was the surprise winner of Missouri’s gubernatorial election in 2016, trumping Chris Koster, the state’s attorney-general. Conservatives admired Mr Greitens for his promises to clean up public life, and to pass right-to-work (RTW) legislation that prevents unions from requiring workers to pay union fees. His vows to cut taxes, to protect fetuses and to defend gun rights were popular too (he is often pictured clad in military fatigues, shotgun in hand). Governors in other states sought the support of this photogenic rising Republican star. Bruce Rauner, the governor of Illinois, featured Mr Greitens in one of his campaign ads. Kim Reynolds, the governor of Iowa, invited him as a keynote speaker to a fund-raiser.

In his home state, however, Mr Greitens has fewer political friends and allies. Denouncing lawmakers in Missouri with his attacks on “career politicians” who have “turned Jefferson City into a corrupt, do-nothing embarrassment” did not help. He is known for berating state senators in private meetings and he publicly ridiculed two Republican state senators who seemed to stand in the way of his efforts to bring a steel mill to Missouri. His non-profit organisation, A New Missouri, ran ads attacking Rob Schaaf, a Republican state senator who criticised Mr Greitens’s use of “dark money”, or campaign donations from undisclosed sources. The ads even disclosed Mr Schaaf’s mobile-phone number.

“There is real animosity between the governor and some Republican lawmakers,” says John Hancock, a former chairman of the GOP in Missouri. No Republican in the legislature defended Mr Greitens the day after the news about his extramarital affair (which he admits) and the allegations of blackmail (which he denies) were aired on television. “Stick a fork in him,” tweeted Senator Schaaf. On January 16th four Republican members of the state house called for Mr Greitens’s resignation. “They have thrown him to the wolves,” says Patrick Miller at the University of Kansas. A website called ericgreitensresign.com is collecting signatories.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Kansas, the Kansas City Star, has called for Governor Brownback’s resignation “for the good of the good people of Kansas”. In anticipation of his ambassadorial role Mr Brownback started to hand responsibilities to his likely successor, Jeff Colyer, a plastic surgeon who is lieutenant-governor. Mr Colyer announced a new cabinet appointment and was widely expected to be in charge at the start of this year. Yet Mr Brownback refuses to go. On January 9th the governor made his state-of-the-state address. Having already created a hole in the state’s budget with huge tax cuts, he called for an extra $600m in school funding without explaining where the money would come from. “Nobody knows who exactly is in charge of the state,” says Mr Miller of the University of Kansas.

Few doubt that Mr Brownback, who served in the Senate for 14 years and as state governor since 2011, will eventually be confirmed as Mr Trump’s ambassador. All 75 senators nominated to ambassadorships were subsequently confirmed by the Senate. As for Mr Greitens, opinions on whether he can stay in his job are divided. “If criminal evidence of blackmail emerges, he is done,” says David Kensinger, a former chief-of-staff to Mr Brownback. If not, “I absolutely think he will survive it,” says Mr Hancock, the former chairman of Missouri’s Republican Party. Mark Sanford was able to remain governor of South Carolina after a very public revelation of an extramarital affair. He is now a humble congressman. Redemption is possible, but until his private life became political, Mr Greitens seemed on course for much more than that.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "In a state"

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