Eric Schmitt is the junior United States senator from Missouri, serving since 2023. Before entering the Senate, he served as Missouri's attorney general (2019–2023) and state treasurer (2017–2019), building a record rooted in tax-cut politics, aggressive legal combat against federal policy, and culture-war messaging aimed at a national conservative audience.
Schmitt's rise was steady and local before it went national: he began as an alderman in Glendale, then spent nearly a decade in the Missouri Senate (2009–2017). In the legislature he pushed major tax reductions and also helped lead a bipartisan response after Ferguson that tightened rules around municipal fines and policing revenue, targeting quota-style ticketing and overreliance on non-traffic fines.
As attorney general, Schmitt became known for high-volume litigation against Democratic administrations and for using the courts as a political arena. He joined efforts to challenge the Affordable Care Act, sued over COVID-era mandates and local public-health restrictions, and pursued headline lawsuits including a state case against the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party over the pandemic that was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds.
In Washington, Schmitt markets himself as a conservative institution-builder rather than a pure media performer: pro-law enforcement, anti-regulation, and highly skeptical of federal bureaucracy. He has leaned into “national conservatism” framing, while also carving out a portfolio on economic oversight and tech and security through committee work, positioning himself as a durable Missouri-aligned vote in a more nationalized Senate.
Mainstream Conservative
Committee Assignments
Caucus Memberships
Achievements
- Built a statewide political base through tax-cut legislation and fiscal conservative policy work in the Missouri Senate.
- Helped lead bipartisan post-Ferguson reforms limiting ticket quotas and curbing municipal overreliance on fines as revenue.
- As attorney general, expanded Missouri's national profile through repeated federal litigation and conservative legal activism.
- Entered the Senate with a clear “fight the bureaucracy” brand and positioned himself on tech, security, and economic oversight issues.
- Promoted government transparency tools as state treasurer, including public-facing spending and budget accountability efforts.
Controversies
- Critics argue his AG-era lawsuits were often designed for national attention rather than practical state outcomes.
- Joined efforts to overturn or invalidate 2020 presidential election results, drawing backlash and legal criticism.
- Faced pushback over COVID-era litigation targeting local public health restrictions and mask mandates.
- The Missouri lawsuit against China over COVID was dismissed, fueling claims it was symbolic rather than legally viable.
- Has drawn scrutiny for national-conservative rhetoric that opponents describe as divisive or exclusionary.
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Conservatives Fund | $113,786 | $103,786 | $10,000 |
| Herzog Contracting | $68,000 | $58,000 | $10,000 |
| Husch Blackwell LLP | $59,035 | $44,535 | $14,500 |
| Enterprise Mobility | $57,915 | $52,915 | $5,000 |
| National Republican Senatorial Cmte | $51,200 | $0 | $51,200 |
Amounts shown reflect organization-linked giving; most funds listed here are from individual donors or aligned PACs.
Recent Elections
2022 Margin R +13.5%