Republican Wins Special House Election

Republicans have taken a seat in the Missouri House. Republican Chris Shoemaker of Macon defeated Democrat John Neer of Macon in a special election Tuesday to fill the vacancy in the 8th State Representative District created when Democrat Gary Wiggins of New Cambria died. With the election of Shoemaker, the Missouri House has a full chamber for the first time since January 2000. There are 163 state representatives, 87 are Democrats, 76 are Republicans. Wiggins, who was chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, died of cancer July 20th. Shoemaker ran against Wiggins last November and lost.