The Democratic primary that ousted Rep. Cory Bush drew heavy outside spending and attracted national attention in Missouri’s primaries on Tuesday. But voters also picked nominees in another expensive House race that leans Republican, and tapped a Democratic challenger to a firebrand Republican senator.
In the open 3rd District, a former Republican state senator who had the backing of Donald Trump defeated a one-time legislative colleague in a GOP primary that drew $8.2 million in outside spending.
Bob Onder, a founder of the Missouri Senate Conservative Caucus, the state’s version of the House Freedom Caucus, edged past Kurt Schaefer, another former state senator, in Tuesday’s GOP primary.
Onder had 45 percent to Schaefer’s 39 percent in the seven-candidate race at 11:06 p.m. Eastern time, when The Associated Press called the race.
The district, which stretches from Jefferson City to the St. Louis metro area, is heavily Republican, making Onder the favorite to win in November against the winner of Tuesday’s Democratic primary, Bethany Mann, to replace retiring Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.
Outside groups involved in the race include a pair of super PACs that have supported pragmatic Republicans over conservative firebrands in congressional races, America Leads Action and Conservatives for American Excellence. they spent a combined total of more than $2 million against Onder, while a PAC affiliated with the Club for Growth spent $1.2 million to boost him.
Onder, a physician, also loaned his campaign $700,000.
In the Senate race, incumbent Republican Josh Hawley was unopposed in the primary, but four Democrats were competing to take him.
Two years after losing the 2022 Democratic primary for an open Senate seat, former Marine Lucas Kunce won the nomination on Tuesday. Kunce, who had $4.2 million on hand as of July 17, had nearly 65 percent of the vote when the race was called at 8:57 p.m. Eastern time.
Hawley had $5.7 million on hand. Inside Elections rates the race as Solid Republican.
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