Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has set three legislative special elections for Nov. 3, including one to fill the post that had been held by former House Speaker John Diehl, R-Town and Country.
Diehl resigned in May after a scandal erupted over the public disclosure of sexually suggestive text messages he had exchanged with a college-age intern.
He represented the 89th District in west St. Louis County, which is considered safe Republican territory. Three Republicans touted as possible successors include former state Rep. Cole McNary, son of longtime county Executive Gene McNary; David Wasinger, husband for County Councilwoman Colleen Wasinger; and lawyer Dean Plocher.
David Wasinger is a former member of the University of Missouri's Board of Curators. He created some controversy because then-Gov. Matt Blunt had named Wasinger to a Democratic seat on the board.
The nominee will be chosen by the 14 Republican committeemen and committeewomen within the district.
A similar process will be used to fill the other two vacant House seats, both in the Kansas City area. The post in the 29th District, situated in Jackson County, has been vacant since late in 2014, when Republican Noel Torpey of Independence resigned to become a lobbyist. The other seat, in Kansas City’s 36th District, became open when Democrat Kevin McManus was elected to the Kansas City Council.
