U.S. House · Missouri's 3rd District

St. Charles and Lincoln counties and rural mid-Missouri counties along the Missouri River, including St. Peters, O'Fallon and Jefferson City-area communities.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 22 claims re-checked against their sources

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

On the ballot · 3 candidates

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUEBob Onder
R
Bethany Mann
D
Jim Higgins
LIB
Protect legal access to abortionOpposes[3]Supports[4]—
Stricter gun lawsOpposes[3]——
Expand immigration enforcement and deportationsSupports[5][6][7][8]votes——
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsOpposes[6][7][8]votes——
Expand public health coverageOpposes[6][7][8][9]votesSupports[4]—
Faster transition away from fossil fuelsOpposes[6][7][8]votesSupports[4]—
Broad tariffs on imported goodsSupports[10]votes——

The candidates, in full

Bob Onder

RINCUMBENTU.S. Representative (since 2025)

Bob Onder is the incumbent Republican U.S. Representative for Missouri's 3rd District. A physician and attorney who previously served in the Missouri House and Senate, he sponsored Missouri's Second Amendment Preservation Act and a state ban on sanctuary cities before being elected to Congress in 2024.[1][2]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Key votes in Congress

  • NoWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • NoResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • YesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • NoBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • NoWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • YesContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • YesRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • Didn't voteSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • YesFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.

On the record — official actions

  • billAs a member of the Missouri House, sponsored and passed HB1549 (2008), a state ban on sanctuary cities.[3]
  • billAs a Missouri state senator, led passage of the state's Constitutional Carry law (2016) and Second Amendment Preservation Act (2019), and sponsored legislation expanding the Castle Doctrine.[3]
  • actionServes on the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the 119th Congress (2025-2026).[2]

Positions on the issues

  • OpposesProtect legal access to abortion

    Describes himself as a "steadfast champion of Pro-Life legislation" and is a cosponsor of the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.[3]

  • OpposesStricter gun laws

    Says he will "vigorously fight on behalf of gun owners and the Second Amendment" in Congress, citing his role in passing Missouri's Constitutional Carry law and Second Amendment Preservation Act as a state senator.[3]

  • SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations.[5][6][7][8]

    What they say: As a Missouri House member, sponsored and passed HB1549 (2008) to ban sanctuary cities, penalize employers who hire undocumented workers, and end "catch-and-release"; the Federation for American Immigration Reform called it the strongest state anti-illegal-immigration law in the country.[3]

  • OpposesExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[6][7][8][9]

  • OpposesFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[6][7][8]

  • OpposesRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[6][7][8]

  • SupportsBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[10]

In their words — priorities

  • Official House issues page lists Congress, economy/jobs, education, energy, military and veterans, pro-life, agriculture, immigration and the Second Amendment as his stated issue priorities.[3]

Background

  • Earned a bachelor's degree in economics and biology from Washington University in St. Louis (1983), an M.D. from Washington University School of Medicine (1987), and a J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law (1993).[2]
  • Worked as a physician and ran a small business before serving in the Missouri House and later the Missouri Senate.[2]

Campaign money

Raised $950K · spent $636K · $471K cash on hand (through 2026-07-15) FEC filing ↗

Bethany Mann

D

Won the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary

Bethany Mann is the Democratic nominee for Missouri's 3rd District. An environmental chemist who has tested for contaminants including PFAS, she is campaigning on science-based policy, rural infrastructure investment and healthcare access.[1][4]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsProtect legal access to abortion

    Lists defending abortion access as essential healthcare among her healthcare priorities.[4]

  • SupportsExpand public health coverage

    Supports Medicare/Healthcare for All to eliminate financial barriers to care.[4]

  • SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuels

    Calls for holding corporate polluters accountable and creating union-led jobs in clean energy and rural broadband as part of modernizing infrastructure.[4]

In their words — priorities

  • Economic opportunity and infrastructure: investing in union-led jobs in clean energy and agricultural technology, modernizing rural broadband, energy resilience and clean water access.[4]
  • Accountability: protecting reproductive freedom, safeguarding voting rights and ensuring equitably funded public schools.[4]
  • Rural healthcare: strengthening rural hospitals and expanding access through mobile clinics, telehealth and incentives to retain rural medical staff.[4]

Background

  • Holds a B.S. in chemistry and has worked as an environmental chemist and technology professional, including testing for contaminants such as PFAS in agriculture, energy and water infrastructure.[4]
  • Serves on the Executive Board of the Kansas Laboratory Education Association and as Vice Chair of the Missouri Democrats LGBTQIA+ Caucus.[4]
  • Is the daughter of an Air Force veteran and granddaughter of a WWII veteran.[4]

Campaign money

Raised $43K · spent $45K · $2,776 cash on hand (through 2026-07-15) FEC filing ↗

Jim Higgins

LIB

Advanced unopposed in the August 4, 2026 Libertarian primary

Jim Higgins is the Libertarian Party nominee for Missouri's 3rd District.[1]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Research notes & limits

Basic-tier research from Ballotpedia, the incumbent's official House website, and the challenger's Ballotpedia survey. Key floor votes and FEC finance totals for Onder are added separately by script.

Sources · 10

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Bob Onder · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  3. 3.Issues · Office of Rep. Bob Onder Official record
  4. 4.Bethany Mann - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026 Candidate's own words
  5. 5.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  6. 6.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  7. 7.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  8. 8.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  9. 9.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  10. 10.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record