Political novice Josh Hawley has toppled Missouri state Sen. Kurt Schaefer in the hotly contested Republican primary race for attorney general.
Hawley advanced Tuesday to the Nov. 8 general election.
In the run-up to Tuesday, Schaefer and Hawley had slammed each other with attack ads in a race that also includes lawsuits and ethics complaints.
Republicans hope to seize the office for the first time in more than two decades.
The current attorney general, Democrat Chris Koster, is running to replace Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.