Jon Swedien

JSWEDIEN@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Missouri could see a recount in both of its Republican and Democratic presidential primary races after Tuesday’s stunningly close election.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton won Tuesday’s primaries. Trump took 40.83 percent of the vote compared to Ted Cruz’s 40.65 percent.

Meanwhile, Clinton had 49.61 percent of the Missouri vote compared to Sanders’ 49.37 percent.

It is possible the losing candidates in both races could request a recount. According to state law, a losing candidate can request a recount when he or she loses the race by less than one-half of one percent of the total vote.

If that is the case, second place candidates would have to wait up to a month for the state to certify the election.

On the GOP side at stake were Missouri’s 52 delegates. Most of the state’s delegates are divvied up based on which candidate wins each of the state’s eight congressional districts.

In Greene County, Cruz was the clear winner with 51.6 percent of the county vote. Trump came in second with 32.13 percent of the county’s vote and Rubio came in third with 8.91 percent.

For the Democrats, Sanders was the clear Greene County winner with 61.1 percent of the county vote. Clinton garnered 38.3 percent of the county’s vote.

Turnout was strong in Greene County Tuesday. Forty-four percent of registered voters hit the polls for the primary election. That figure beat the large turnout from 2008 when 39 of registered voters turned out.

“Yes (2008) was (a good year for turnout) and this year clearly exceeds what it was that year,” said Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller.

Turnout was strong throughout the day, Schoeller said. At midday, he said, turnout ranged between 19 percent and 26 percent of registered voters at the county’s polling places.

The last time a primary election had a higher turnout was 2004, when there was a U.S. Senate election. That year turnout was 47 percent. In the last presidential election in 2012, turnout was 64.18 percent. That figure was 71 percent for the 2008 presidential election.

Tuesday’s warm, sunny weather probably helped, said Danette Proctor, chair of the Greene County Republican Central Committee, said on Tuesday.

For several Democrats voting at the South Side Senior Center on South Fremont, their primary pick came down to who they could trust the most.

Brenda Adcock, 59, says she likes Bernie Sanders well enough, but Hillary Clinton is the candidate she trusts.

“I support the Democratic Party and I think she is the most experienced of the two candidates,” Adcock said.

Adcock went on to say she is not confident Sanders could actually put in place many of the policies he is calling for, like a single-payer healthcare system. She did say she would support Sanders in the general election if he is the nominee.

Conversely, Larry Loftis, 52, a Sanders supporter, said he doesn’t trust Clinton.

Loftis said Clinton’s handling of an attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi while she was Secretary of State and to a lesser extent the scandal over her emails makes him not trust her.

And while Loftis said he is concerned that if Donald Trump were president it might lead the nation into war, he says he might still vote for Trump over Clinton if that is the matchup in the general election.

Loftis said it would be a “tough call.”

Live blog: Dems, GOP pass out delegates

Republicans in Springfield had similar feelings about the candidates they don’t support in their own party. For example, Several Ted Cruz supporters voting at the Macedonia Baptist Church on West Sunshine Street said they would have a tough time voting for Donald Trump if he becomes the Republican nominee.

A poll released on Friday showed Trump leading Missouri, polling at 36 percent, while Cruz was running in second at 29 percent. That would indicate the race in the Show-Me State is very close given the poll had a +/- 7 margin of error.

“I guess I’d have to,” said Barbara Hall, 76, this afternoon shortly after she voted for Ted Cruz.

Hall said she thought Cruz was honest and she trusts him. She was not nearly as confident in Trump but did say she’d prefer him over Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton.

Ryan Rhodes, 36, also a Cruz supporter, felt similar.

“I couldn’t do Donald Trump,” Rhodes said. He later said he would probably vote for Trump in order to beat Clinton or Bernie Sanders

Jorge Tobar, 45, a Cruz supporter, said he would have to pray to see what to do if Trump wins the nomination.

Not everyone at the polling place was down on Trump. Curtis Adams, 50, said he likes Trump because “He’s got a sense of humor.”

If Trump loses his lead and doesn’t win the Republican nomination, however, Adams said there was a good chance he’d voter for Sanders. Adams said that while he doesn’t like Sanders socialist moniker he does appreciate the Democratic Senator from Vermont is interested in “giving the middle class a decent chance to make a good wage.”

Brian Bates, a Donald Trump supporter who voted at Rountree elementary school on East Grand Street, “I do think he could get Mexico to pay for the fence. I damn sure do. Through trade deals.”

Trump’s name came up repeatedly Tuesday morning at the Berean Baptist Church. The church, at 507 E. Norton Road in north Springfield, serves as the polling place for Precinct 29-ABC, which generally comprises the northeast corner of the city.

Abby Letterman said she voted for Trump because of his business experience.

“I really think with his background, since he’s done so well for himself, he’s going to get the country working again,” she said.

Marty Mapel said he doesn’t particularly like Trump as a person; Mapel called him “arrogant.” But he said Tuesday that he voted for Trump “because basically he pissed the establishment off.”

The businessman’s name also came up unprompted among some supporters of Cruz. Jenni Courtney said Cruz wasn’t necessarily her preferred candidate, but that she wanted to vote for the person who had the best chance of besting Trump.

“Honestly, I really like Rubio, but I feel like it would be a wasted vote,” Courtney said.

Carol Long said she voted for Cruz because she doesn’t “think Trump has people’s best interests in mind, except his own.”

Mindy Porter, another Cruz voter, referenced the Bible when giving her assessment of Trump.

“Honestly, I’m a Christian, and with what he’s spewing and what I read in (the Book of) Revelation ... I very honestly believe he’s the Antichrist,” Porter said.

The two other Republicans in the race also had some support, although their names came up less often. Cindy Hyatt said she voted for Florida Governor Marco Rubio.

“Did a lot of praying and just a little research and it’s who I thought was the best person for the position,” Hyatt said.

And not all Trump voters were necessarily Trump supporters.

Don Chadwick said he voted for Trump Tuesday because “he’s gonna shake things up.” But he said he’d be firmly on the Democratic side come November, whether that meant Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.

“I am a rebellious voter,” Chadwick said.

News-Leader Reporter Thomas Gounley contributed to this story.