A Missouri appeals court panel ruled Thursday that the state's Republican governor — and not St. Louis County's Democratic county executive — has the power to appoint a replacement for the county's outgoing prosecuting attorney.

The Missouri Court of Appeals officially ruled in favor of Governor Mike Parson over St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Thursday afternoon in appointing the county's next prosecuting attorney, ending a months-long political showdown over who has authority to make that decision.

The Missouri Court of Appeals-Eastern District has upheld the St. Louis County Circuit Court’s judgment that the governor, not the St. Louis county executive, will have the authority to fill the pending vacancy in the St.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page is appealing a ruling that gave Governor Parson sole authority to appoint a replacement when current County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, resigns to take his seat in the U.