Lt. Gov. David Wasinger watches the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).
Lt. Gov. David Wasinger ran as a “conservative outsider” aiming to shake things up in the capital city.
In his first few weeks on the job, Wasinger has worked at developing friends and supporters in the Senate while setting public safety and government efficiency as his top priorities.
In the 2024 primary, Wasinger beat two experienced Republicans state senators, Lincoln Hough and Holly Thompson Rehder. He went on to beat former Democratic state Rep. Richard Brown for the position.
In one campaign ad he claimed to be the only “pro-Trump Republican” in the race. His campaign was aimed at challenging the Jefferson City establishment. He promised to deport immigrants who are undocumented and expressed interest in working with President Donald Trump’s administration in immigration enforcement.
To Wasinger, his election to statewide office with little political experience represents the desires of Missourians.
“Missourians want change similar to electing President Trump,” Wasinger said. “I think they want change in Washington, D.C., and I think they also want change in Jefferson City, and I’m here to bring that change.”
On a visit to his office, visitors can expect to see “Make America Great Again” hats and other Trump memorabilia. However, Wasinger’s affinity for Trump may not be the primary reason he is considered an “outsider.”
The lieutenant governor sits on multiple boards, is next in line for the governorship and perhaps most importantly acts as the president of the Senate, allowing him to preside over the chamber and break tie votes — not a frequent occurrence with a Republican supermajority.
Wasinger is the first lieutenant governor since Mel Carnahan took the position in 1989 to have never been a member of the Missouri Senate. He is the first lieutenant governor since William S. Morris, who served from 1969 to 1973, to never have held any office in the Missouri General Assembly.
Prior to being sworn in on Jan. 13, Wasinger had never held elected office. But he has held public office as a member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators, appointed by then-Gov. Matt Blunt in 2005 and serving until 2011.
It was during his time on the Board of Curators that he met a political ally, Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Republican from Parkville. At the time, Luetkemeyer served as the student representative to the Board of Curators. Today the two have maintained a partnership.
“Frankly, he’s just a friend,” Wasinger said. “There’s a great line of communication between Sen. Luetkemeyer and our office.”
Luetkemeyer, who serves as the Majority Floor Leader, echoed Wasinger, saying that the two share a commitment to advancing conservative priorities.
Despite being a self-titled outsider, Wasinger said that he has a good relationship with Republican leadership in the Senate.
“I think the state of Missouri has a good leadership team,” Wasinger said.
Wasinger made a career as a St. Louis attorney after the 2008 financial crisis by winning $18 billion for his clients in fraud cases, according to his website. Wasinger blames Wall Street and the Washington, D.C. establishment for the 2008 crisis and said that his legal battles against Wall Street would inform his work in Jefferson City.
“I have a history of taking on lobbyists and special interests,” Wasinger said. “I think the lobbyists and special interests are out for their own interests and not the interests of those on Main Street.”
During his race, Wasinger loaned his campaign $2.6 million and acted as the primary financier for the campaign. Other contributions to Wasinger’s campaign came from various private citizens as well as corporate and worker’s Political Action Committees. While campaigning as an outsider, Wasinger found support from one key establishment GOP donor group.
Before his death in 2019, Stan Herzog was a businessman and major donor to the Republican Party. Various businesses and political organizations connected to Herzog have donated millions to Republican campaigns for more than a decade.
MO Alliance for Freedom Grave River PAC and American Democracy Alliance Ridgely PAC, which both have ties to Herzog, donated the maximum allowable amount to Wasinger’s campaign. Additionally, three executives from Herzog companies donated the maximum allowable amount as well.
The American Democracy Alliance Ridgely PAC also donated to the campaigns of Gov. Mike Kehoe, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, state Treasurer Vivek Malek and the campaigns of five former Missouri House members who won election to the Senate last fall.
Wasinger’s 2024 race for lieutenant governor was not his first run for elected office. In 2018, he ran unsuccessfully for state auditor, losing in the primary to Saundra McDowell. The role of the state auditor is to ensure efficient use of taxpayer money after being approved for spending. Wasinger has made government efficiency a priority for his office, particularly in procedure and in the budget.
Chris Walker, the director of policy and communications for Wasinger, said that the lieutenant governor has been in ongoing conversations with senators about ways to improve the legislative process. Walker noted that Wasinger has questioned work-from-home policies and the specifics of Senate rules and procedures.
Oversight of the budget is not generally under the purview of the lieutenant governor’s office, but Wasinger said that he will make recommendations for changes to the budget.
“As this budget process evolves over the next couple of months I think you are going to see some changes being voiced by this office, or at least changes we think should be brought about,” Wasinger said.
The lieutenant governor is required to sit on many boards, including the Missouri Arts Council and Missouri Housing Development Commission. Wasinger’s interest in efficiency is something Missourians should expect to see expressed in these boards.
“The lieutenant governor is approaching each board and commission he’s a part of with the same mindset,” Walker said. “We want to ensure that Missouri taxpayer money is being spent efficiently and in line with Missouri values.”
One of the boards that Wasinger sits on is the Missouri Tourism Commission. Wasinger said that getting crime under control was a key issue for tourism to grow in the state.
“Part of my job is tourism,” Wasinger said. “So, we can’t have tourism unless people from out of state feel like they’re safe coming into St. Louis, Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City.”
Wasinger’s office has voiced support for key provisions of Senate Bill 52. Some of the bill’s provisions would put the St. Louis Police Department under the jurisdiction of the state, increase the severity of numerous charges and require law enforcement agencies to submit information on the immigration status of offenders.
“The lieutenant governor wants to see the reputation and morale of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department restored in the wake of the Ferguson riots and the ‘defund the police’ movement,” Walker said.
The last legislative session saw infighting between Republican leadership and far-right members of the party in the Freedom Caucus, who lost committee chairmanships and even parking positions. This session has seen less struggle among Republicans.
When speaking with Missourinet, Freedom Caucus leader Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, said that the Freedom Caucus and Republican leadership’s priorities are closely aligned.
Similarly, Wasinger’s top priorities, public safety and efficiency, seem to be aligned with leadership.
The number one priority for the Senate Republican Caucus Leadership this year is public safety, according to a news release from leadership. Republican leadership also has taken a focus to government efficiency, creating a new Senate Government Efficiency Committee.
“I’m not afraid to take on issues that are difficult,” Wasinger said. “I’m not afraid to take on the establishment in Jeff City.”
This story first appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.