Robert Onder

A rematch between U.S. Rep. Bob Onder and Bethany Mann in Missouri's 3rd Congressional District showcases their continued campaigning on opposite policy platforms.

Onder, the Republican incumbent, is a physician and lawyer from St. Charles County who formerly served as a member of both chambers in the Missouri General Assembly.

Having been a prominent figure in the state's Republican Party for several decades, Onder has remained mostly in line with policies of the party at large. He has run against illegal immigration as well as abortion and is in favor of maintaining Second Amendment rights.

The challenger, Bethany Mann, is an environmental chemist who has been the Democratic candidate for the 3rd District seat in the last three elections.

Mann has run on access to abortion, better funding for schools and more affordable healthcare. Drawing from her background, environmental protection is another facet of her platform.

Libertarian candidate Jim Higgins is also running. Higgins is a retired computer systems analyst who has run unsuccessfully for several offices in the state since the 1990s: multiple bids at different congressional districts, a run at the governorship in 2012 and at state Senate District 24 in 2018.

Higgins does not have much of a social presence this year but previously supported abolition of the death penalty, legalization of marijuana and an end to state registration on firearms.

Mann and Onder previously faced off in the 2024 election for the same position, with Onder winning his first term in Congress following the retirement of Republican Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer after 12 years in office.

In a September speech to the Boone County Republican Women's Club, Onder outlined what he saw as major structural problems in the Missouri government, worrying that mishandling of these issues could lead to Republicans losing voters to Democrats.

"They're the problems that a generation ago, Colorado had," Onder said. "And it turned a very red state very blue, and we're seeing that in real time right before our eyes."

The main aspect Onder takes issue with is Missouri's ballot initiative system, where citizens can get a statute or constitutional amendment on the ballot if enough signatures are gathered.

"Way too much direct democracy," Onder said. "No state has a more liberal initiative and referendum process than Missouri."

"It's entirely too easy to amend our constitution," Onder added. "Our constitution has become a glorified statute book."

Onder acknowledged the recent failure of Amendment 4 in the August primary, which would have made passing ballot initiatives more difficult by requiring a majority of each congressional district to approve any policy as opposed to the current requirement of a simple statewide majority.

While over 80% of the state voted against the amendment, Onder contends that if it makes it to the ballot again with language emphasizing it's other elements, including preventing foreign spending on ballot measures, it would have better success.

Mann has made data centers and their impact a major part of her platform, in line with her career as an environmental specialist.

In a news release earlier this month, Mann called for a statewide paid moratorium on the construction of data centers. Moratoriums have been popular even among Republicans in Mann's district, with both St. Charles County and city passing local versions of the policy earlier this year.

Mann's proposed moratorium would require developers of the centers to continue paying union workers already assigned to data center construction projects, arguing that developers should allow residents to make decisions about the centers without the threat of losing work.

"If these corporations genuinely believe their projects will benefit Missouri, they should be willing to continue paying the skilled union workers they've hired while our communities review their plans," Mann said.

"A paid moratorium gives Missouri the opportunity to establish responsible standards without forcing working families to shoulder the cost of that process."

Mann stipulated that the proposed moratorium should be lifted only after Missouri has outlined statewide standards for the facilities and how they interact with the communities they are built in.

"When something enormous and unexpected arrives at the gates of a community promising prosperity, our first responsibility is not to throw open the gates," Mann said. "The lesson of the Trojan Horse is not that everything new is an enemy. It is that promises should be examined before they are welcomed inside."

Originally published on columbiamissourian.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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