Gov. Mike Parson won't call on Eric Greitens to drop out of Senate race after abuse allegations

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Wednesday he believed new allegations of abuse from former Gov. Eric Greitens' ex-wife Sheena, but declined to call on Greitens to drop out of the U.S. Senate race or say whether he would support Greitens as the potential Republican nominee.

A signed affidavit revealed last week as part of ongoing divorce proceedings alleged that Greitens was abusive toward both his ex-wife and one of their sons. Parson, who ascended to the governor's mansion in 2018 after Greitens resigned facing scandals, said he hadn't seen the official court document but has "no reason to doubt Sheena Greitens on what she said."

"I don't know Sheena Greitens all that well, but every time I've seen her I've had a great deal of respect for her," Parson told reporters. "And I think if she filled that out and she signed that as an official affidavit, until it's proven different I think that's her affidavit."

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But Parson, a Republican who is serving his second and final term, did not join the chorus of calls from Greitens' primary opponents in the U.S. Senate race for him to drop out.

"In this country, whether you like people or whether you don't, when they do things you don't agree with or not, we're set up for people to be able to file for office and to be able to run for office," Parson said. 

"I hope people do their homework and understand how serious this issue is, and they'll have to make those choices for what they do."

Even in polling conducted after the allegations were made public, Greitens remains toward the front of the Republican pack. Asked by the News-Leader whether he would support or vote for Greitens if he won the GOP nomination, Parson demurred.

"We'll see what that all comes about, the day it comes," he said.

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.