Gov.-elect endorses Cape's Peter Kinder to lead state Republican Party

Cape Girardeau’s Peter Kinder received a powerful endorsement Tuesday, Dec. 17, to become the next chairman of the Missouri Republican Party.

Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe threw his support behind the former state senator and longtime lieutenant governor.

"I asked Peter Kinder to be the party chair because he is a dedicated conservative with decades of proven leadership and a commitment to the conservative principles that guide our party," Kehoe said in a release from the Missouri Republican Party. "His extensive experience in public service and his deep understanding of Missouri’s political landscape make him the ideal choice to lead the Missouri Republican Party into the future.”

The party will elect its leadership on Feb. 1. Nick Myers serves as chairman, a position he has held since 2021.

"I am honored by Governor-elect Kehoe’s confidence in my ability to lead our party," Kinder said. "The Missouri Republican Party has an incredible opportunity to build on our successes, unify our base, and focus on advancing conservative policies that benefit every Missourian. I look forward to working with Republicans across the state to ensure our party remains strong and ready to win in 2026 and beyond.”

In 2001, Kinder served as president pro tem of the state Senate, marking Republican control of the body for the first time in a half-century. From 2005-2017, Kinder served as lieutenant governor.

The release noted Kinder’s part in advancing the party’s interests across the state.

“Throughout his career, Kinder has been a passionate advocate for lower taxes, limited government, and protecting individual freedoms, playing an instrumental role in advancing conservative values across the state.”

A Cape Girardeau native, Kinder attended Southeast Missouri State University and University of Missouri before earning his juris doctorate from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.

In his early career, he served on the staff of U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson and as an attorney for Drury Industries. In 1987, he joined the Southeast Missourian as associate publisher.

His political career started in 1992 with a successful run for a state Senate seat, beating former Missouri first lady and gubernatorial candidate Betty Hearnes of Charleston.

He has served on the Missouri Tourism Commission, and in 2017 then-President Donald Trump appointed him co-chairman of the Delta Regional Authority.