Rep. Bob Onder won the Republican nomination Tuesday in Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District, turning a primary challenge into a bid for a second term in the U.S. House. The St. Charles Republican defeated Columbia accountant John Fraser in the Aug. 4 contest.
The result was reported by WBAL NewsRadio, citing the Associated Press. The Missouri Secretary of State lists the primary returns as unofficial, with final certification still to come.
Onder’s Trump-Backed Incumbency Holds
Fraser made Onder’s congressional voting record the centerpiece of his campaign, arguing that the incumbent had strayed from Missouri priorities on tariffs, spending and other issues. Onder entered the race with endorsements from President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, according to ABC 17 News.
Onder was first elected to Congress in 2024 after serving in the Missouri Senate and working as a physician and business owner. The U.S. House’s official history identifies him as a Republican member of the 119th Congress, which began in January 2025.
A Wide-Ranging District Heads Toward November
The redrawn 3rd District stretches from the heart of Mid-Missouri toward St. Louis suburbs and the Illinois border, including the southern half of Boone County and portions of several other counties. The district’s geography makes the November campaign a broad regional contest, even as Republicans have held the seat since 2013, ABC 17 News reported.
Missouri’s general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, according to the state election calendar. Onder will now wait for the Democratic nominee to emerge before the race shifts from an intraparty fight to the final contest for the seat.
