St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell is heading to Washington after defeating Republican Andrew Jones Jr. on 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 he defeated incumbent Cori Bush and state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal in a hotly contested Democratic primary.
Bell had 75.9% of the vote with nearly three-quarters counted. Bell highlighted several policy goals, including making housing more affordable, protecting voting, reproductive and LGBTQ rights and battling climate change.
“My priority is regional growth,” Bell said. “This region is a sleeping giant, and it’s time to wake it up, and the only way that happens is if all of our stakeholders, all of our elected officials, all of our constituents, if you will, are working together towards that goal.”
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.
Bell thanked his supporters at a watch party at Vue 17 in Brentwood on Tuesday night.
“I'm going to do everything that I can to validate that support, and even for the folks who didn't, I'm going to do everything I can to earn their support,” Bell said.
Bell highlighted his work expanding jail diversion programs in the county as well as investigating wrongful convictions.
Bell’s win will leave the county prosecutor seat vacant. County Executive Sam Page, who will appoint Bell’s replacement, said the application process will open later this week and last about 10 days.
“There’s a whole lot of people that are advocating for specific characteristics of a prosecuting attorney,” Page said. “I’m just going to let the process work and let people apply.”
Bell said he’s had conversations with Page about his successor and will support whoever is hired.
“I hope that it’s someone from my leadership team,” Bell said. “I think our office has been running very smoothly, and I’d like to see that continue.”
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. Wagner received about 54% of the vote while Hartmann gained about 43%.
“Bringing our Missouri values to Washington is the honor of my lifetime,” Wagner said in a statement. “In Congress I will fight for our freedoms, for secure borders, for safe communities, and for a stronger economy, and I am ready to get back to work.”
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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.
The Associated Press called the race around 9:50 p.m. Onder, R-Augusta, received 60.7% of the vote while Democratic challenger Bethany Mann gained 35.8% with 95% reporting.
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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.
In a post on social media, Onder thanked his supporters and said, “It will be an honor to serve you!”
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
Republican Congressman Jason Smith will continue representing the state’s 8th District after a decisive victory over Democrat Randi McCallian.
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The Associated Press called the race around 9:20 p.m. Smith received 77.6% of the vote, and McCallian got 20.3% in nearly complete results.
Smith was heavily favored to win the race because of the district’s overwhelmingly 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.
