Pettis County Eastern Commissioner Israel Baeza won the Republican primary for Missouri House District 52 on Tuesday.
According to unofficial election results, Baeza received 68.97% of the 5,108 ballots cast in the race, securing the Republican nomination for the District 52 seat. Opponent Philip J. Sherman received 31.03%.
Baeza now advances to the Nov. 3 general election, where he will face Democratic Primary winner Rene Vance, who ran opposed receiving 1,431 votes.
Baeza said he was humbled by the support shown by voters across the district.
“I’m just super grateful to the people of the 52nd District,” Baeza said. “They came out and made their voice heard loud and clear. The fact that they have placed their trust in me is just so humbling, and it means so much.”
Baeza said the outcome motivates him to continue prioritizing residents' needs if elected to the Missouri House.
“They have my commitment that I will make sure to put people first, and I will make sure to be a representative that is listening to the people,” Baeza said. “Next year is going to be a year with a lot of challenges. There’s going to be a lot of tough decisions to be made, but I think I have the experience and the ability to sit down and make those decisions. Obviously, I want to make sure that I am hearing from my constituents.”
Baeza noted that, under the district’s boundaries, he would continue representing Pettis County residents while adding the county’s northwest corner to the district.
“One of the great things is this district is entirely in Pettis County,” Baeza said. “I would continue representing the people of Pettis County and would gain the northwest corner area of Pettis County.”
With the primary behind him, Baeza said his campaign is now focused on the general election.
“Our focus shifts to the general election, making sure that we’re still meeting with residents and making sure that we’re still hearing their concerns,” Baeza said. “The numbers speak for themselves, and I’m just super grateful for the people that have placed their trust in me. I don’t take it for granted one bit.”
Baeza also thanked supporters who encouraged his family throughout the campaign.
“I can’t tell you the number of people who actually stopped us while we were going door to door and just said, ‘Hey, we want to pray for you guys,’” Baeza said. “That means a lot to our family, and we couldn’t be more happy to live anywhere else.”
He said he was especially proud that his campaign remained focused on issues rather than personal attacks.
“I’m very proud of the clean campaign that we ran,” Baeza said. “Throughout the years, we’ve always tried to focus on the positives and what we bring to the table. We want to represent Pettis County with integrity. I’m very proud of all of our supporters and all the people who stood behind us. It’s not about me. It’s about the future of Pettis County, and I think by doing that, we’re able to focus on the issues.”
Chris Howell can be reached at 660-530-0146.
