This election was the second in which Kit Bond and Joseph Teasdale faced off,[1] and the third consecutive Missouri gubernatorial election in which Kit Bond was the Republican nominee; [2]Bond was elected Governor in 1972 bust lost re-election in 1976. To date, 1980 is the last time an incumbent Governor of Missouri a general election, and was the last time an incumbent Governor of Missouro was defeated until the 2004 Democratic primary.