SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — Candidates to replace Scott Rupp in Missouri’s second senatorial district met for a forum hosted by the Lewis & Clark Pachyderm Club of St. Charles County.
Dr. Bob Onder, a physician and former state representative and congressional candidate, faced off against current state Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger. Vicki Schneider — a former state representative herself — was unable to attend.
The two Republicans agreed broadly on many issues, but wasted little time in taking potshots at one another in front of the crowd of about 75. Early on, Gatschenberger said Onder had been “kicked off” the Missouri Right to Life board. Onder said that simply wasn’t true, and chided the incumbent Republican for taking more than $22,000 in lobbyist gifts and missing 230 total votes as an elected official.
Both men told the audience they’d be staunchly pro-gun and pro-life — even going so far as to promise to reject exemptions to abortion restrictions for victims of rape and incest.
Onder told the crowd he didn’t support the sales tax increase to fund new roads projects — a proposal on the August primary ballot — and said his opponent shouldn’t have voted to put it on the ballot. Gatschenberger said he’d prefer use-related taxes on things like gasoline to fund roads, but said he felt Missourians should decide for themselves.
“I was for a smaller increase, a quarter of a percent, instead of three quarters,” Gatschenberger said. “But I also think the people deserve to decide if their taxes go up and not us.”
Both men also stood in support of Right-to-Work, albeit with different results. Gatschenberger said he voted against the
measure in the House because the Senate had made clear they had no intentions of taking up the bill, but promised to be in favor of future RTW policies. Onder said his opponent was “playing games.”
“I don’t think we get sent down to play games and say ‘oh, well, I believe this, but the Senate isn’t going to do it, so I’m gonna be against it,’” Onder said. “I think you get sent down there to vote the way you vote.”
Both men said they were optimistic about the remaining 50 days before the primary. Gatschenberger told The Missouri Times he expected to continue personally knocking on 350 doors per day, while most observers note that Onder is most likely to win the fundraising race.
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
