Kehoe sworn in as Missouri’s newest lieutenant governor

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Heartland Newsfeed) — Amid much political turmoil and scandal related to disgraced Missouri governor Eric Grietens, a second change at the top of state government took place in Jefferson City for the second time in less than three weeks as Mike Kehoe was appointed as the state’s 48th lieutenant governor.

Kehoe, the 56-year-old Missouri Senate majority leader with roots in Gasconade County, was sworn into office Monday afternoon, replacing Mike Parson, who took took over as governor following Grietens’ resignation. Parson described his ideal replacement as having “[strong] leadership, humility, meaningful experience, a willingness to listen to your adversaries and the heart of a public servant” during a press conference. Legal experts and constitutional scholars questioned whether the Missouri Constitution allows Governor Parson to fill a vacancy for a separately elected political office, in which he believes those experts and political history support such a decision. “My position is not unique. In fact, it is the same view by nearly every governor in recent history,” Parson said. Kehoe’s family, including his 90-year-old mother Lorraine, were in attendance for his swearing-in. During an address, Kehoe noted that he shares the governor’s priority to improving the state’s crumbling infrastructure.