The former bellwether state has politically trended rightward in recent years and is today a Republican stronghold at both the federal and state levels. The last Democrat to hold the office of governor in Missouri is Jay Nixon who comfortably won re-election in 2012. In 2020, Parson won by 16.41% in the first election in which Missouri elected a Republican for governor by double digits since 1988. Missouri is expected to soundly elect another GOP governor in 2024.[2]