(AP) – Missouri’s attorney general has filed lawsuits against Planned Parenthood and President Joe Biden, attempted to obtain records from clinics providing gender-affirming care, and pressured a liberal prosecutor to resign.
Despite these conservative actions, some prominent conservative groups from outside Missouri are investing millions before the Aug. 6 primary to support Andrew Bailey’s opponent, Will Scharf, who is associated with former President Donald Trump’s legal team. In Missouri, where the GOP dominates, winning the primary provides a significant advantage in the November general election.
This situation highlights the increasing importance of state attorneys general, who often use their positions to launch campaigns for governor or U.S. Senate. Both senators from Missouri previously served as attorney general.
“It is part of the broader universe of AGs and where we’re at now in terms of the funding for these races,” said Paul Nolette, a political scientist at Marquette University, noting that state attorneys general have increasingly focused on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. “That money makes it less likely for the AGs to break away from their commitment to their ideological poles and often engage in a culture war approach to issues.”
State attorneys general represent state governments and are elected in 43 states. They play crucial roles in consumer protection and law enforcement, with some being the top criminal prosecutors in their states. While they have historically worked across party lines to protect consumers, the past decade has seen a rise in partisanship among AGs, with many, like Bailey, suing federal administrations over policies of opposing parties.
For example, almost every Republican AG has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s regulations pertaining to the protection of transgender students under a gender equality law. Conversely, a group of Democratic AGs has started supporting these regulations through legal filings.
The political strategy surrounding state AGs has also intensified, with organizations like the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) and the Democratic Attorneys General Association playing significant roles in supporting candidates and funding campaigns.
RAGA, which typically backs GOP AG incumbents, has refrained from involvement in the Missouri primary. However, the association’s major contributors are supporting Scharf by channeling contributions to a Missouri branch of Club for Growth, a conservative funding entity that focuses on supporting fiscally conservative candidates and running ads to boost Scharf and criticize Bailey.
The fund supporting Scharf has received substantial contributions from political influencers like Leonard Leo and organizations such as the Concord Fund. Similarly, it has received support from investors like Paul Singer and the national Club for Growth.
In some cases, national conservatives have attempted to remove incumbent Republican AGs, as seen in Idaho in the past. The fundraising and support for Scharf are reflective of a broader trend where well-connected lawyers with ties to conservative groups like the Federalist Society receive backing for their political ambitions.
Scharf’s background aligns with that of many Federalist Society-connected lawyers who have advanced in government legal roles, displaying elite educational credentials, clerkships, and a strong affiliation with the GOP. However, Bailey, who has a long-standing career in Missouri, criticizes Scharf as a candidate backed by out-of-state interests seeking to influence Missouri politics.
Liberty and Justice PAC, supporting Bailey, has also received significant contributions, including a $500,000 donation from Carolyn and Mike Rayner. The competition between Bailey and Scharf reflects the growing influence of outside funders in state AG races and the implications of partisanship in these crucial legal positions.
Associated Press writer Richard Lardner in Washington contributed to this report.
