St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell is heading to Washington after defeating Republican Andrew Jones Jr. Tuesday to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.
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Bell was heavily favored to win in the Democratic-dominated district. His victory comes three months after defeating incumbent Cori Bush and state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal in a hotly contested Democratic primary.
The Associated Press has called the race for Bell around 8:20 p.m. leading Jones by a wide margin.
As congressman, Bell said he would vote to codify abortion rights into federal law and support expanding the Radioactive Exposure Compensation Act to the St. Louis area. He’s also called for increasing federal support for people accused of crimes with substance abuse and mental health issues.
The primary was one of the most expensive races in U.S. House history. The race garnered national attention for Bell and Bush’s stances on the Israel-Hamas war and the amount of money from pro-Israel groups to Bell’s campaign. His primary win was a significant blow for progressives as Bush’s loss followed Jamaal Bowman’s in New York earlier this year.
Bell, like Bush, rose to prominence in the St. Louis area after the killing of Michael Brown Jr. Bell defeated incumbent prosecutor Bob McCulloch in 2018 after running a campaign centered on criminal justice reform. He reopened the case on Brown’s killing but said there wasn’t enough evidence to press charges against Darren Wilson, the officer who killed Brown. The move alienated some progressives who had supported his campaign and Brown’s family.
Bell highlighted his work expanding jail diversion programs in the county as well as investigating wrongful convictions.
2nd Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, will keep her seat after defeating Democratic challenger Ray Hartmann in the 2nd Congressional District.
The Associated Press called the race around 10:20 p.m. where Wagner received about 54% of the vote while Hartmann gained about 43%.
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Tuesday’s election gives Wagner a seventh term after first winning the seat in 2012.
Democrats had hoped the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and having Amendment 3 legalizing abortion on the ballot would make for a more competitive race.
Wagner has opposed abortion except in cases of rape and incest and to save the life of the mother, a stance Hartmann had criticized. But recent redistricting has shifted the map to be more conservative leaning with the additions of Franklin and Warren counties.
Wagner has backed U.S. support for Israel and Ukraine in their wars against Hamas and Russia.
3rd District
Former state Sen. Bob Onder will represent Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District, succeeding U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.
Onder, R-Augusta, defeated Democratic challenger Bethany Mann.
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Onder was heavily favored to win Tuesday’s election because the district is dominated by Republicans. It includes large portions of St. Charles and Jefferson counties and parts of mid-Missouri. Luetkemeyer, who has represented the 3rd District since 2013, announced earlier this year that he would retire.
Onder has said he would like to serve on the Ways and Means, Education and Workforce or Judiciary committees. Onder is a physician and also has a law degree.
Onder also said he wants to be involved with efforts to curtail illegal immigration.
Onder will join the U.S. House after serving two terms in the state Senate and one term as a state representative. He joined the Conservative Caucus, a group of state senators often at odds with the state’s Republican leadership. The group disbanded in 2022 after a series of Conservative Caucus position wins.
8th District
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Republican Congressman Jason Smith will continue representing the state’s 8th District after a decisive victory over Democrat Randi McCallian.
Smith was heavily favored to win the race because of the district’s overwhelming Republican makeup.
The district includes the Bootheel, Rolla, Festus and Hillsboro. The region has become considerably more red in recent years during Donald Trump’s campaigns and presidency.
Smith has represented the district since 2013 after winning a special election to succeed JoAnn Emerson.
This story has been updated.
