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JEFFERSON CITY, MO. (AP) -- The Missouri Democratic Party has made a change in leadership after suffering widespread losses in this year's elections.

Missouri Auditor Susan Montee was chosen Saturday to take over as chairwoman of the party at a meeting of the Democratic State Committee. She replaces Springfield attorney Craig Hosmer, who is a former state lawmaker.

Montee was defeated in her November re-election bid by Republican attorney Tom Schweich. She had said last week that the party needed a change in direction. Besides Montee's loss, Missouri Democrats also lost a high-profile U.S. Senate race and Ike Skelton's congressional seat. And Republicans gained their largest majorities in the state Legislature in decades.

Montee's term as party chairwoman is to run two years.

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