A Navy SEAL is now governor of Missouri

Eric Greitens — a Navy SEAL; Rhodes scholar; White House Fellow; founder of the veterans organization The Mission Continues;  author; and one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People —  was elected governor of Missouri Nov. 8.

It was an uphill battle, according to Kaj Larsen, a fellow SEAL and friend of WATM who helped campaign for Greitens. The outgoing governor, Jay Nixon, was ineligible to run for re-election due to the state's term limits, but Greitens nevertheless faced a tough challenger in current Missouri Attorney Gen. Chris Koster.

"We started with nothing against our opponent's $11 million," Larsen wrote on Facebook as Greitens claimed victory in the state. "But when your buddy is in a gunfight, you show up with ammunition to help. For three months straight we outworked our opponent."

Greitens is a Republican who ran against what he saw as corrupt establishment politics; called for banning gifts from lobbyists; advocated instituting term limits for every elected office in Missouri; wants to cut government spending; supports the Second Amendment, and called for more backing of local firefighters and law enforcement officers in the state.

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At 42, Greitens is the youngest governor in the United States. This is his first attempt at public office. Republicans have only won the Missouri Governor's seat once since 1992.

According to his book, "The Heart and the Fist," Greitens went to Naval Officer Candidate School in January 2001, then went to BUD/S — the basic training course for Navy SEAL candidates — in February 2002.

He deployed four times in support of the Global War on Terror, including tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa. He then joined the Naval Reserve in 2005. His service was attacked during the campaign, but his staff released 225 pages of his military records before the election, according to the St. Louis Dispatch.

His awards include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, among many Achievement and Commendation Medals.

"We're going to take on the special interests and clean up Jefferson City," Greitens said in his victory speech as recorded by the Kansas City Star. "Our mission in this campaign was to build a stronger and better Missouri we can take in a new direction."

Not everyone is thrilled with Greitens' victory. The most controversial issue surrounding his campaign is his support of making Missouri a "Right-to-Work" state, sapping power from local labor unions.