Tony Lovasco

Tony Lovasco
Lovasco in 2019
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 64th district
In office
January 9, 2019 – January 8, 2025
Preceded byRobert Cornejo
Succeeded byDeanna Self
Personal details
PartyRepublican
SpouseEva
EducationDuchesne High School
Websitewww.tonylovasco.com

Tony Lovasco is a Republican politician who served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025. He represented the 64th district, which as of 2022 encompasses a portion of northwest St. Charles county, including a northern part of Wentzville, much of northern O'Fallon, and St. Paul, from 2019 through 2024. Lovasco was elected to the Missouri House in November 2018.[1] In 2026, he is running to represent Missouri's 63rd district, which includes central Wentzville and the intersection of Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 61.

Education and career

Lovasco is a lifelong St. Charles County resident and graduated in 2003 from Duchesne High School in St. Charles. He has attended the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Since his high school graduation, Lovasco has worked in sales for a surplus IT disposition company and has experience with Linux deployment and maintenance.[1]

Politics

Lovasco is active in local Republican organizations and served as a committeeman and board member.[1] After district 64 representative Robert Cornejo resigned in August 2018 to take a job in Governor Parson's administration, Lovasco was appointed by local Republicans to replace Cornejo on the November ballot.[2] Lovasco defeated Democrat Shawn Finklein in the 2018 general election.[3][4]

On May 29, 2020, Lovasco made national news when, during national protests over the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman during an arrest four days earlier, he stated on Twitter that "Looters deserve to be shot...But not by Government. #2A".[5]

Unopposed in the August 2020 Republican primary,[6] Lovasco defeated Democratic challenger Aaliyah Bailey in November 2020 with over 68 percent of the vote.[7]

In response to the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia, Lovasco tweeted on September 9, 2021, that removal of statues of "reprehensible people" should be "fair and balanced", with an included image of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.[8]

Lovasco won the 2022 Republican primary election against two challengers, though by less than two percentage points.[9] He was unopposed in the general election.[10]

In January 2023, he promoted a bill titled "HB869" to the Missouri House of Representatives. The bill was to loosen the penalty for possession and use of psilocybin. The bill was not passed.[11]

Lovasco opposes the death penalty and in 2024 sought commutation for Brian Dorsey, who was convicted of killing his cousin and her husband in 2006.[12] Governor Parson denied clemency and Dorsey was executed in April 2024.[13]

Lovasco lost reelection in the 2024 Republican primary to Deanna Self, a licensed professional counselor and anti-abortion activist.[14]

In 2026, Lovasco is running to represent Missouri's 63rd house district,[15] whose incumbent representative is running for state senator.[16]

Legislative assignments

As of 2024, Representative Lovasco served on the following committees:[3]

  • House General Laws
  • Downsizing State Government
  • House Ways and Means
  • Joint Committee on Tax Policy

In 2020, Lovasco was a member of a special committee on Criminal Justice.[17]

Electoral history

Missouri House of Representatives — District 64 — Lincoln and St. Charles Counties (2018)[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tony Lovasco 10,538 61.55%
Democratic Shawn Finklein 6,583 38.45%
Total votes 17,121 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 64 — Lincoln and St. Charles Counties (2020)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tony Lovasco 15,954 68.88% +7.33
Democratic Aaliyah Bailey 7,209 31.12% −7.33
Total votes 23,163 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives Primary Election, August 2, 2022, District 64[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tony Lovasco 1,621 36.25%
Republican Deanna Self 1,555 34.77%
Republican Mike Swaringim 1,296 28.98%
Total votes 4,472 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives Election, November 8, 2022, District 64[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tony Lovasco 10,252 100.00% +31.12
Total votes 10,252 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives Primary Election, August 6, 2024, District 64[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Deanna Self 2,852 59.6%
Republican Tony Lovasco 1,936 40.4%
Total votes 4,788 100.00%

References

  1. 1 2 3 "House Member biography". Missouri House of Representatives website. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  2. ↑ Erickson, Kurt (August 22, 2018). "St. Charles County lawmaker resigns, takes job in Gov. Parson's administration". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Tony Lovasco". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Election Night reporting". Missouri Secretary of State via website. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  5. ↑ Thomas, Crystal (May 29, 2020). "Missouri lawmaker tweets 'Looters deserve to be shot. But not by government' about Minneapolis uprising". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Election Results: State of Missouri 2020 Primary Election, August 4, 2020" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. August 24, 2020. p. 26. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Official Results – General Election, November 03, 2020". Missouri Secretary of State. November 3, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ @tonylovasco (September 9, 2021). "If we insist on tearing down statues of reprehensible people, let's at least be fair and balanced about it" (Tweet). Retrieved September 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
  9. 1 2 "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. August 26, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. December 9, 2022. p. 11. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  11. ↑ "HB869". house.mo.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  12. ↑ Rosenbaum, Jason (April 5, 2024). "Missouri Rep. Tony Lovasco pushes to commute Brian Dorsey's death sentence". KSMU. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  13. ↑ Rosenbaum, Jason (April 9, 2024). "Despite widespread support for clemency, Missouri will execute death row inmate". St. Louis Public Radio. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  14. ↑ Colbert, Ethan (August 6, 2024). "Glitch delays St. Charles County results. Costlow bests Calfo in contentious GOP race". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved August 7, 2024. Tony Lovasco, R-O'Fallon, was defeated by challenger Deanna Self, a licensed professional counselor
  15. ↑ "Certified Candidate List: 2026 Primary Election". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  16. ↑ Palermo, Gregg (February 25, 2026). "Early shakeup for Wentzville-area State Senate race". Spectrum News. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  17. ↑ Rivas, Rebecca (November 11, 2020). "Police chokeholds, no-knock warrants spark debate in Missouri House committee". Missouri Independent. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  18. ↑ "2024 Missouri Republican Primary Elections Results – State House District 64". USA Today. August 7, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
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