When Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) made the surprising announcement in early January that he would not be seeking reelection in 2024, that set off a mad scramble among Missouri politicos to determine who would run to replace him. Luetkemeyer represents Missouri's Third Congressional District, which, as I noted at the time, is perhaps the reddest of Missouri's red districts, so the key contest will be amongst the Republican contenders in the primary, and to the victor goes the promise of a lengthy career in Washington.
READ MORE: Huge Shake Up in Missouri As Blaine Luetkemeyer Announces He Won't Seek Reelection in CD3
Just one day after Luetkemeyer's announcement, state Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman announced she was entering the race. Coleman, who currently represents Missouri Senate District 22, which sits in the southeastern section of CD3, has served in the state Senate since January 2023 and served in the Missouri House for four years prior to that.
READ MORE: First Missouri Republican Jumps Into CD 3 Race Following Luetkemeyer's Retirement Announcement
Now, another high-profile candidate has thrown his hat in the race: Former state Senator Bob Onder announced on Friday that he was forgoing his bid for Lieutenant Governor in order to seek the congressional seat instead. Onder, 62, holds both a medical degree and a law degree and has practiced as a physician specializing in allergy and asthma care. He and his wife, Allison, have six children.
During his tenure in the Missouri Senate, Onder played an integral role in passing Missouri's Heartbeat bill. He left the Senate in 2023 due to term limits.
READ MORE: How Missouri's "Heartbeat Bill" Differs From Others
Onder and Coleman are expected to be joined by other Republicans in the primary, and with the primary only six months away — and a filing deadline of March 26 — we'll likely know fairly quickly how the race looks to be shaping up.
Luetkemeyer’s exit is expected to trigger a crowded Republican primary for a seat that leans heavily in the GOP’s favor. After squeaking into office by 2.5% in 2008, Luetkemeyer has never received less than 63% of the vote and has averaged 67% over the past five elections.
Among the names being floated include former state Rep. Sara Walsh, former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks and former state Sen. David Schatz.
The 3rd District runs through all or part of 16 counties, from the Lake of the Ozarks to the Mississippi River. Almost half the population is in eastern and northern St. Charles County, the southern half of Boone County and the western half of Jefferson County.
Onder, a physician who ran for Congress and lost to Luetkemeyer in 2008, said in a statement announcing his candidacy that “Washington DC has never been more broken than it is right now.”
“Throughout my public service, I have stood up to Democrats and my own party establishment to get things done,” he said, “and with our country at such a critical juncture, that is why I want to go to Washington to represent Missouri’s 3rd District.”
Since Coleman's announcement, things have also heated up in the Missouri Senate over the battle between leadership and the Freedom Caucus regarding the speed (or lack thereof) with which conservative agenda items, such as initiative petition reform, are being addressed by the legislative body. Onder aligns himself with the Freedom Caucus. Coleman has faced criticism for standing with leadership.
That look when you sold your soul to the establishment pic.twitter.com/9qy0QWBmgw
— Jake Jackson (@realjakejacks) January 25, 2024
READ MORE:
Bad Blood in #MOLeg As Senate Prez Strips Freedom Caucus Leaders of Committee Chairs, Parking Spots
Onder shared the announcement of his bid for CD3 on social media:
— Dr. Bob Onder (@BobOnderMO) February 2, 2024
Onder also joined us on NewsTalkSTL Friday morning to discuss his decision. (Full disclosure: I was subbing in as co-host on the "Mike Ferguson in the Morning Show" at the time. Additionally, CD3 is the district in which I reside.)
Join the conversation as a VIP Member