St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner defeats Mary Pat Carl by wide margin in primary

Kim Gardner
Photo credit St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner speaks Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in St. Louis. Gardner on Monday filed what she called an unprecedented federal civil rights lawsuit, accusing the city, the local police union and others of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her out of office. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)

ST. LOUIS (KMOX/AP) - St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has defeated challenger Mary Pat Carl by a large margin in the primary. 

Final results were posted Tuesday just before 11 p.m. showing Gardner with 60.77% of the vote, compared to 39.23% for Carl. 

Kim Gardner, the city’s first Black circuit attorney, also received national attention when she filed criminal charges against Missouri’s governor in 2018.

Gardner wins pic.twitter.com/SIKtCpjQ92

— Kevin Killeen (@KMOXKilleen) August 5, 2020

Gardner, 44, defeated Carl and two other candidates in the 2016 primary election. She has shaken up the city’s criminal justice establishment, initiating reforms that have included using diversion programs instead of incarceration, halting prosecution of low-level marijuana crimes and reducing the number of people incarcerated.

Her decision last month to file felony unlawful use of a weapon charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey drew strong rebuttals from President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike Parson, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Sen. Josh Hawley. 

Gardner has long contended she’s the victim of race-based attacks. In January, she filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city government, along with the biggest police union and others of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her out of office. The lawsuit also accused “entrenched interests” of intentionally impeding her efforts to change racist practices.

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