By KWMU

St. Louis, MO – Bill Alter was sworn in Monday as a Missouri State Senator. He's the first Republican to hold the seat in decades.

Alter beat Democrat Rick Johnson by just 68 votes in a special election, out of more than 20,000 cast.

Johnson has said he'll ask for a recount, but he would still be a state Representative if the results stand.

And Alter recently told KWMU he doesn't know how - or if - Johnson and he would work much together, saying "Rick Johnson doesn't work well with anybody."

"I really don't know how that will turn out; there are a lot of other good state Representatives in Jefferson County and I think I have a good relationship with them, so we'll get done what needs to be done."

Two independents (Harold Selby and "Zip" Rzeppa) also ran in this month's special election to replace Steve Stoll, who resigned the seat.

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