Busch beer heiress Valentine enters Missouri US Senate race

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Anheuser-Busch beer heiress Trudy Busch Valentine on Monday filed to run for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in Missouri.

Valentine’s entrance to the race comes days after Republican candidate Eric Greitens was accused of physically assaulting members of his family, which added fresh urgency to a GOP push to ensure the party doesn’t nominate a damaged candidate who risks losing the otherwise safe Republican seat to a Democrat.

Greitens has so far ignored calls to end his campaign from virtually every notable Missouri Republican, including Sen. Roy Blunt, whose retirement left the seat open. Greitens has denied the accusations as “completely fabricated” and “baseless.”

Busch Valentine, daughter of the late chairman of the Anheuser-Busch Companies, also faces a number of Democratic rivals to get the party's nomination, but the field is thinning.

Former state Sen. Scott Sifton dropped out of primary following her Monday filing and endorsed her.

“Eric Greitens simply cannot be our next senator, and I know that Trudy Busch Valentine gives us the best chance to win in November,” Sifton said in a statement.

Other Democratic candidates include Lucas Kunce, a Marine veteran who as of January had raised the most money for the race.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, state Sen. Dave Schatz and U.S. Reps. Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long are among other Republican candidates for Blunt's seat.