Former Gov. Eric Greitens leads the pack in the race for the Republican nomination for Senate in Missouri, according to a poll conducted for his campaign.

In the survey, Greitens led Rep. Vicky Hartzler 26% to 19%. State Attorney General Eric Schmitt was trailing in third at 14%, followed by Rep. Billy Long at 7% and gun rights activist Mark McCloskey at 5%. Greitens, who resigned from office in 2018 amid sexual misconduct allegations, is trying to earn former President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the crowded primary by proving he can win the nomination.

Recently, Greitens has been the subject of misconduct allegations by his ex-wife, Sheena Greitens, casting further doubts about his electability and providing his GOP foes fresh ammunition with which to urge Trump to endorse anyone but the scandal-plagued former governor. But with this new poll, the Greitens campaign is declaring that this effort to undermine the former governor’s viability has failed.

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“This indicates the attacks and allegations lobbed his way did not do any damage to his numbers. And if they did, he’s recovered in full,” Greitens campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said Monday in a text message exchange with the Washington Examiner.

The poll of 806 likely GOP primary voters was conducted May 2 – 4 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.48 percentage points. Twenty-seven percent of respondents were undecided. Additional findings from this internal service include:

  • Greitens led Hartzler 29% to 21% with “conservative-leaning" voters.
  • Greitens led Hartzler 34% to 17% among voters who have a “favorable view” of Trump.
  • Greitens led Hartzler 29% to 20% among female voters
  • Trump’s endorsement is crucial, with 41% saying they would be “more likely” to back a candidate who has the former president’s seal of approval.

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The Senate primary in Missouri is scheduled for Aug. 2. Trump has not ruled out backing Greitens despite strong opposition to the former governor among party insiders in Missouri and Washington, D.C. Sen. Roy Blunt is retiring.