Update: Missouri voters cast ballots in key senate race

The Latest on the midterm election in Missouri (all times local):

6:15 a.m.

Polls have opened in Missouri as voters cast ballots to decide whether to send Democrat Claire McCaskill back to the senate and approve ballot measures that would raise the minimum wage and allow medical marijuana.

McCaskill is running against Josh Hawley, the young challenger backed by President Donald Trump. Hawley, the 38-year-old, Ivy-league educated state attorney general, says the 65-year-old McCaskill is too liberal for Missouri. Trump won the state by 19 points in 2016.

McCaskill campaigned as a moderate and focused on health care issues. Republicans badly want to defeat McCaskill after she survived in 2012 when her opponent made a major gaffe.

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2018 file photo, Missouri U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., speaks during a campaign rally in Bridgeton, Mo. McCaskill faces Republican Josh Hawley in her re-election bid in the Nov. 6 election. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File) — FILE – In this Oct. 31, 2018 file photo, Missouri U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., speaks during a campaign rally in Bridgeton, Mo. McCaskill faces Republican Josh Hawley in her re-election bid in the Nov. 6 election. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

Missouri voters also will face ballot measures Tuesday to raise the gas tax and a major change to drawing district boundaries after the 2020 census.

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10:03 p.m.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill has survived near-political death before in the red state of Missouri.

FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2018 file photo, Republican Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Josh Hawley talks to the media after a debate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) — FILE – In this Oct. 25, 2018 file photo, Republican Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Josh Hawley talks to the media after a debate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Voters on Tuesday will decide whether to re-elect her over Josh Hawley, the young challenger backed by President Donald Trump.

Hawley, the 38-year-old, Ivy-league educated state attorney general, says the 65-year-old McCaskill is too liberal for Missouri. Trump won the state by 19 points in 2016.

McCaskill campaigned as a moderate and focused on health care issues.

Republicans badly want to defeat McCaskill after she survived in 2012 when her opponent made a major gaffe.

Missouri voters also will face several ballot measures including three separate proposals for medical marijuana, a measure to raise the minimum wage, one to raise the gas tax and a major change to drawing district boundaries after the 2020 census.

Source: The Associated Press