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Bill Eigel facing primary challenger in Eric Wulff for SD 23

St. Charles attorney Eric Wulff has decided to challenge incumbent state Sen. Bill Eigel in this year’s primary. 

Eigel has represented SD 23, which includes parts of St. Charles County, since 2017. 

“I’ve been practicing law a long time and am pretty attuned to what’s going on with the state over the years, and I thought I might be able to effectuate change for the state of Missouri particularly for children and families,” Wulff told The Missouri Times in an interview. 

Wulff is a partner at Burke, Wulff, Crosby, Luber, and Briscoe and practices both family and business law; he is a former prosecutor and judge. Wulff also sits on the Missouri Bar board of governors, a position that became the catalyst for his interest in the legislative process as the Bar will often consult with legislators. 

A Republican, Wulff said he is anti-abortion and a “lifelong advocate for children.” He also said he’s focused on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and noted his priorities while he campaigns could shift in the coming months as “things develop.” 

In St. Charles County, nearly 200 people have tested positive for coronavirus and five people have died as of Tuesday morning. 

Wulff, who was raised in Florissant, has volunteered with at-risk youth programs and aided juvenile offenders, according to a press release. He’s also traveled to Africa where he’s financially supported schools and adoption centers in Kenya and Uganda. 

“For a long time, service has always been a big deal in my family — making sure you get out and do what you can and understanding you’re fortunate,” Wulff said. “I wanted to make sure I have the opportunity to continue to provide service for others.” 

Aside from Wulff, who threw his hat into the ring on the final day of filing, Dan O’Connell is competing in the primary for SD 23.  Neither Wulff nor O’Connell has filing reports yet available. 

However, Eigel, a member of the Conservative Caucus, reported having more than $158,000 cash on hand during the latest filing. The Believe in Life and Liberty (BILL) PAC, which supports Eigel, reported more than $347,000. 

Last week, Eigel announced he’s already received the endorsements of several Republican elected officials around St. Charles County, including that of fellow Conservative Caucus member Sen. Bob Onder. Endorsements also came from GOP state Reps. Phil Christofanelli, Tom Hannegan, Ron Hicks, Justin Hill, Tony Lovasco, Adam Schnelting, Nick Schroer, Bryan Spencer, and John Wiemann. 

“For the past four years, these folks have gotten to know me well. They understand my commitment to conservative Republican leadership, and I’m humbled to have their endorsement for my re-election,” Eigel said in a statement. “The depth of support from all corners of the St. Charles County Republican Party demonstrates the popularity of conservative principles applied in Jefferson City. I will continue to work hard to earn their trust and confidence.” 

Eigel, a veteran and small business owner, said he ran for office in 2016 because he “felt our Republican majorities in Jefferson City had the opportunity to transform our state with conservative reforms that would make our state more free and more prosperous.” 

“While there is much to still be done, I’m proud of the work we have done,” Eigel said. 

The primary election is slated for Aug. 4.