Eric Stephen Schmitt (born June 20, 1975) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Missouri since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Schmitt served as the 43rd Missouri Attorney General from 2019 to 2023. From 2005 to 2008, Schmitt was an alderman for Glendale, Missouri. He served as member of the Missouri Senate from 2009 to 2017, representing the 15th district. In 2016, Schmitt was elected Missouri state treasurer. On November 13, 2018, Governor Mike Parson named Schmitt attorney general of Missouri after the incumbent, Josh Hawley, was elected to the United States Senate. On November 3, 2020, Schmitt was elected to a full four-year term as attorney general. As AG, he filed lawsuits to have the Affordable Care Act invalidated by courts and sued school districts and municipalities for implementing mask requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. After Joe Biden won the 2020 election and Donald Trump refused to concede, Schmitt joined other Republicans in falsely claiming fraud. He supported failed lawsuits seeking to invalidate the 2020 election results. He sued the Biden administration 25 times, with mixed outcomes. He challenged the administration's policies, and signed onto an amicus brief that argued that LGBT people are not protected by workplace discrimination bans. In March 2021, he announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. In 2022, Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating Democratic nominee Trudy Busch Valentine.